


AI

by Romantik_Kun



Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse)
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Artificial Intelligence, Character Development, Drama, Investigations, M/M, Plot Twists, Romance, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2018-09-13
Packaged: 2019-05-14 15:39:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 31,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14772419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Romantik_Kun/pseuds/Romantik_Kun
Summary: Umbrella, the world's authority on artificial intelligence based in Raccoon City solicited the Raccoon City Police Department for help with testing a new prototype. Chris ends up in charge of a human-like Android; Designation Al-0001, Or Albert for short...





	1. Al-001

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nauthir](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nauthir/gifts), [jenny95k](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenny95k/gifts), [Santos.m](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Santos.m).



> I've been playing Detroit Become Human these past few days and that's what heavily inspired this fic. Fans of the game will probably notice a lot of similarities but I thought it could be nice to enact this scenario with our favorite characters! I hope you'll like it as much as I like writing it! My time will be divided between this Fic and Dead Man Walking. I hope to see my favorite readers as well as fresh faces for the adventure <3
> 
> Gift work to my favorite readers <3 :3

Rain fell heavily on Raccoon City, hammering the roof of sky reaching buildings, sliding like tears off walls of glass. Despite this dreary weather the streets were filled with cars, people, following an inescapable routine monitored by time. Everywhere the eye could reach; clocks, unyielding, unstoppable.  
Like ants among giants, they navigated paved paths, looking at their feet. The rain kept their heads low you see.  
Every building, every street, each items in each shop; labelled. People too.  
Atop the highest floor of a far reaching tower, tall yet not tall enough; A man sighed heavily, watching the sad display. 

"Captain?"  
A young man's voice broke the rain cracked silence. 

"Hm?"  
The man blinked out of his thoughts.  
"Piers. What do you need?"  
He smiled briefly.

"The Umbrella representatives have arrived, their talking with O'brian as we speak."  
The lad took a few steps into the office, wearing a somewhat grave expression. He came sitting on the edge of the desk presiding over the room and sighed.  
"To be honest I don't know what to make of them..."  
He scratched the back of his neck.  
"I guess they make me nervous."  
It was obvious resented having to admit it. 

"Ah, don't worry too much about it. They're free to try and sell us their toys, but the RCPD hasn't agreed to anything yet. I'm not even sure we can afford their little gadgets."  
The captain laughed. 

"I don't know Chris... I've over heard the higher-ups talking. Their interested." 

Chris left the window side and came to sit on his chair.  
"Yeah well... If they are then it's out of our hands."

"You're right, I know you are but..."  
He paused.  
"Anyway, enough about that. How are you feeling? That was an awful lot of sighing back there."

"It's nothing, I was brooding over the weather, nothing more."  
He managed a fading smile. 

Piers knew the last couple of weeks had been hard on Chris... A recon mission on which they had been sent had took a turn for the worse and- 

"Hey guys!"  
A deep and rocky voice interrupted his thoughts. It was Barry, another one of their co-workers and an old friend of Chris's.

"Slacking off again?"  
Their superior blurted out, a huge grin stuck on his face. 

Piers felt sudden relief, seeing his friend smile truly for once. 

Barry feigned offense and took a big sip out of his coffee.  
"You wound me."  
A strong hand grabbed the youngest man's shoulder amicably; shaking him up.  
"What's up kid?"  
He winked, acknowledging him. 

Piers smiled, nodded silently and Barry's attention came back to Chris.  
"Have you guys heard? The men in black are paying us a visit."

"Yeah, Piers just informed me."

"Fucking Umbrella..."  
The older man crashed on a chair, facing Chris.  
"Our business is life itself..." "Nothing is impossible..."  
Another sip of coffee.  
"You know I've got nothing against progress: Machines, AI... But these Androids of theirs? I don't know, that's going too far. Whats more, they have been at it for years and still have nothing to show for it. I mean really. Have they even built a working Android yet? The ones they've had tested at the RC University were nothing more than tin cans."  
He proceeded to shake his head, wearing an unimpressed look.  
"Sure, they understand simple vocal input, but that's nothing! Siiri does it better."  
He flung his phone around to the amusement of his peers.  
"They don't even look good." 

Chris and Piers shared an entertained look. 

"Ain't that the truth."  
Piers acquiesced, his arms crossed over his chest. 

"I just hope they aren't going to make US test something for them."  
Barry crushed his carton cup and tossed it directly into a trashcan standing on the other side of the office.  
"The things we're dealing with? Has to be handled by a human, no way 'round it."  
With that he got up. 

A gentle knock was heard at the door.  
"What's with the sausage fest?"  
Jill teased. 

"We revel in each other's company. No girls allowed."  
Chris replied, equally seriousness.

"Ohoh! I see."  
Ignoring the joke she stepped in.  
"Y'all listening to Barry bitch about Umbrella?"  
Bulls eye.

"Perceptive."

"You're kidding right? I could hear him from the other side of the building."  
She laughed, hitting Barry on the shoulder gently.

"I'm old, kid. I need to vent the stress out of my system." 

They all shared earnest smiles. 

"What's you take on them, uh Jill?"  
Chris probed his partner for her opinion. 

"What? Umbrella?"  
She paused, obtaining confirmation.  
"I... Really don't know. You all know they've come at us a few times, trying to convince the heads to let them test their new prototypes in a work environment. As if we had the time to spare."

"Exactly."  
Barry applauded.

"You also know they've been told no an hundred times... And still find it in themselves to come back with new offers. They're persistent, that I do know." 

"It's nothing short of harassment if you ask me."  
The young man added. 

"Well, they are one of the best funded organisation in the world. Their machines have garnered more than enough attention. They can afford to pester us... Unfortunately."  
Chris explained. 

"Something's not right thought."  
The woman leaned her hips on the desk. 

"What do you mean?"  
Her change in demeanor piqued everyone's curiosity. 

"The two men who usually come by to try and convince the boss?"

"Yeah?"

"Not this time. Two men and a woman today. And..."

"Go on."  
Christopher probed her for more information. 

"They didn't have anything with them, except a briefcase. I don't know what they're trying to sell us now but it had to be small enough to be contained in there."  
She raised her shoulders. 

"Unh. At least it means no Androids. Right?"  
Barry seemed content. 

Just as Jill was about to add something, the a voice was heard over the intercom calling every members of Alpha team for a briefing but it didn't seem to be about a new case... A weird tension asserted itself. 

"Well, get a move on people."  
Chris ordered and the lot of them exited the office, taking their doubts with them. 

\-- 

Everyone in Chris's team, at least those that weren't out on patrol, were there: Barry, Piers, Jill, Leon and himself. They had to wait for what seemed like an hour before O'Brian finally entered the briefing room, two men and a woman in tow. 

One man was dressed formally; a white dress shirt, buttoned all the way up. He had a very snobby aura about him. The woman was dressed just as formally, a skirt hugging her thighs, stopping at her knees. Both looked somewhat agitated, impatience almost.  
The other man however... He was dressed oddly. Tight, thick leather... Almost holographic, or at least that's the only way Chris could describe it. From head to toes. In it's eccentricity it remained very proper, clean, professional. He was tall, taller than Chris, standing at 6 foot tall at the least. He wore a pair of expensive looking shades that shielded his eyes. His blond hair were flawlessly groomed. There was an unsettling... perfection about him. 

"Alright listen up."  
O'brian broke the silence. He looked drained.  
"I'm sure you all know whom these people represent, so I'll cut right through to the chase. We have a new addition to the team..."  
He looked at the trio.  
"They're all yours."  
He invited the representatives to speak for themselves. 

The woman stepped forth.  
"Thank you."  
She adjusted her glasses.  
"First and foremost, I would like to thank the RCPD for agreeing to help us. Your help will be invaluable."  
She offered a bow.  
"We're here today to introduce you to a new asset. But, for credibility's sake-"  
She took a step back, smiling proudly.  
"We'll let the object of this visit present hitself."  
She looked at the oddly dressed man.  
"Albert."  
With a nod she invited him to speak. 

He took a step forth, standing where the lady had previously stood, remained silent for a 2 or 3 seconds and spoke.  
"Greetings, my designation is Al-0001, but you can call me Albert." 

The room fell completely silent as the realization sank in. He wasn't a man. He was an Android.

"I will be joining your team, as of today, to help in any and every tasks deemed suitable."

His voice was stern, a little monotonous, but human-like in every other respect.

"Please, be aware than my programming allows me to: Collect and analyze evidences, engage in complex and or tensed situation, engage in discussion of sensible nature; such as negotiations and interrogations. Engage in armed or unarmed combat situations-"  
There was a brief, unnatural pause in between each enunciation and his speech was going on and on...  
"Reconstruct series of event based on retrieved evidences, propose a number of different future, and past, scenarios based on retrieved evidences-"

"Very good Albert, thank you."  
The woman interrupted him. 

"No, thank you Amanda."  
He stopped talking and took a step back.

"As you must have realized by now, Albert is our most advanced prototype and, I'm sure, will prove a valuable addition to your team."  
With that, the sales speech was over. 

Nobody had it in them to say anything, all were mesmerized by the life-like machine standing in front of them. 

"That said, we strive to offer this Android a genuine experience of the police forces. As such, we would ask that you treat it as you would any other colleagues while keeping in mind his true nature. Do not hesitate to use it, to complete tasks within your work space. Further more, we would like our Android, to be exposed to life outside our labs, to ensure it is prepared and accustomed to the real world should you need him outside the office. Would one of you be interested in taking it in for the test's duration?"

Nobody stepped forward, incredulous looks were exchanged, but no one spoke. 

The representatives turned to O'brian.

"Chris, you're taking it in."  
He was adamant. 

"What!? Hold on. Why me?!"

"Because you're in charge of Alpha team and this... new member, is now part of your team. You have a big enough apartment, a car and I'd feel very uncomfortable leaving it in Jill's hands. Which is what will happen if you don't take it in."

"That's-"  
The attempt at blackmail didn't go unnoticed.

"Then suck it up. Dismissed." 

Things spun into order so fast Chris could barely keep up, the rest of the team was dismissed, he was dragged along for some formality; paper work and such. Next thing he knew, O'brian gave him a pat on the shoulder, an apologetic smile and left him alone with the Android. They stood face to face in the not empty briefing room, Christopher was still mesmerized by its appearance. 

"Christopher Redfield, Hi."  
It extended a hand to him. 

"Unh? Uh... Hi."  
His discomfort surely showed. 

Still, the Android waited for an handshake. Chris hesitantly reached out for it, immediately surprised by the texture of his skin. Incredibly smooth, completely dry and a little cold. 

"My designation is Al-0001 but please, for convenience's sake; Call me Albert."  
The handshake was sturdy and brief.  
"It is a pleasure to meet you, I have collected ... 351... files about you and or speaking and or mentioning you. Almost all of which paint you in a positive light. Impressive. You must be an exemplary model, I look forward to observing and learning from you; Chris Redfield."

"Oh... Unh, yeah... Just, call me Captain."  
He tried to be friendly. 

"Very well, Captain."  
He paused.  
"Also computing: Sir, boss... Should I call you something else when we're off duty?"

"Yeah, call me Chris when we're out of the office. Everyone does."  
He laughed nervously, it was still so bizarre to him. 

"Understood." 

By the time they had finished their little introduction the time had moved passed work hour. Immediately after, they left, going down the building into the underground parking lot and into Chris's car. The ride home was awful, at least, Chris thought it was, the silence was oppressing and 'Albert' did not once take his eyes off of him. Guess it was serious when it said he was looking forward to "Observing" him. Finally they reached the apartment. 

"Your accommodations are pleasant." 

"Thanks... I think." 

Opening the fridge Chris contemplated its relative emptiness. Oh, there was enough to cook a meal he simple didn't feel like bothering. 

"Do you... um... need to eat?"  
The question was naive. 

"I require nor food, nor water." 

"Oh okay..."  
He took out his phone and started to dial in the closest Chinese takeout. Sad that he knew it by heart.

"A moment, if you please."

"What's up?"

"You have several ingredients ready for use. You may want to use them, failure to do so will result in their spoil."  
He had the time to discern that? Despite having only glanced into the frigde? 

"Um... Y-yeah, maybe I should."  
The constant scrutiny was hard on the nerve. 

"You're releasing a large amount of Cortisol. Does my presence hinder you?"  
It leaned its head slightly to the right. 

"No! no!"  
Trying to play it off was as useless as you might imagined. 

"You are lying." 

"Ergh!"  
Caught red-handed. 

"Chris, if you wish, I can cook your meal for you. A service rendered will ease your anxiety and pave the way toward building trust."  
It wasn't a cute way to put it, but basically it was just trying to be friendly... Right? 

Honestly? By now he was too exhausted to argue and opted to let the Android do as it pleased.  
"You know what... Knock yourself out." 

There was a silence. 

"Is it an order?" 

"Mh? I thought you wanted to?" 

"I do no not 'want'. I proposed to cook. Not to damage myself beyond consciousness as you know it." 

After thinking about it for a second Chris finally realized.

"Oh! No! That's not what I meant! It's a saying. We say that when we... well you know. It means you can do it..."

"Computing... Added to language data base. I learned something new." 

"Good..."

"I shall cook now." 

And it did. A rather copious meal at that and it tasted best than anything Chris could have ever come up with.  
"Damn! This is good!" 

"I sifted through my files to determine which flavors would best suit your taste buds. I am content to see the information contained within them was correct." 

And the awkwardness was thrown in back into the fold. Having enough for one day Chris finished his meal and busied himself arranging the guest's into Albert's room. Not much to do really, he just had to throw in a new set of sheets and-

"Thank you Chris. But I do not require clean bed sheets." 

The realization hit hard once again... Right, it wasn't human...

"Okay then, I guess I'll leave you to it. We'll talk more in the morning, deal?"

"Yes Chris."  
It sat down on a reading chair in the corner of the room. 

He was about to leave and close the door behind when words escaped Chris's mouth as he yawned.  
"Good night."  
And the door closed. 

... 

There was a long silence.

... 

"Good night."  
It responded, alone in the dimly lit room.


	2. Partners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning was a tough one for Chris; jolting awake from a nightmare, running late for work. Fortunately, it seemed someone was willing to take the Android off his mind for the day...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi luvs, I'm having a lot of fun with this fic so expect fats updates :) I hope you all like it so far and that you'll stick around for more <3

Footsteps echoed against the stone walls of a vast, barely lit, corridor. The white, unnatural shine, of a flashlight pushed back the darkness; moving rhythmically with every sway of the head. Ragged breaths, lungs afire, a thump in the chest... The blood rushing to his head, a deaf sound ever playing in his ear... 

"...Captain..."  
Someone calling, the voice seemed so far away. 

"Captain!"  
This time as clear as day. Loud and panicked. It was... who was it? He had an helmet on, Chris couldn't make out his face... The memory seemed to slip away.  
"We have to pull b-"  
A bullet dug right through his neck. Blood came gushing out of the wound, through his gloved fingers.  
"Cap..."

Chris tried screaming his name but nothing came out, he felt the weight of death fall into his arms and... and..!

"...Captain..."  
That voice again, calling to him from the distance. 

Chris could feel the warmth of blood sliding down his cheek, it wasn't his... 

\-- 

"Captain."

Christopher awoke with a start, letting out a loud groan as he got up to his elbows, his eyes flustering nervously, trying to shield themselves from the light. A cold sweat ran down his spine and his heart beat painfully fast. 

"Chris."  
It was the Android, its voice was noticeably warmer than it appeared yesterday. It sat on the bed by his side.  
"Everything is alright, you are safe, in your home." 

"W-what? Albert?"  
Finally he regained his senses. 

"Yes. I was waiting for you by the entryway when I noticed you were running late." 

"Late?"  
He sat up properly.  
"What time is it?"  
He was still shaken and looked around for the clock. 

"It is 6:30 Am. My programming suggests we should have left at 6:25 if we wanted to avoid traffic and arrive on time. I'm afraid we'll be late." 

"Damn..."

"Can I make a suggestion?"

"Uh? Um, sure, sure."  
He dismissed. 

"If you'll let me, I can call Director O'brian. I will inform him of our possible lateness while you take your time to get ready."

"Okay, yeah. Do that."  
The man slid out of his sheets, still in nothing but his underwear. 

"Should I inform him of your apparent distress?"

Chris stopped in his track.  
"Excuse me?"  
His tone was suddenly ominous. 

"Should I inform director O'brian of your state?"

"My state..."  
He laughed humorlessly.  
" 'My state' has fuck all to do with him. And it has fuck all to do with you. Stay out of it!"  
Having raised his voice, the captain exited the room slamming the door of the bathroom behind him. 

Sitting in silence for a few moments the robot stayed of marble, seemingly unfazed with Chris's outburst. Behind his shades his eyes blinked twice. 

"O'brian Speaking."  
It heard the voice in its head. 

"Director O'brian. This is Albert, we've met briefly yesterday." 

"Yeah... I remember you."  
It was obvious he was caught off-guard.  
"What do you want?"

"I am calling to inform you that mister Redfield and myself will be arriving late this morning."

"Why..?"  
His voice tainted with a hint of suspicion. 

The machine didn't answer right away. His programs suggested a few possible excuses, besides the truth. Which he had been unofficially forbidden to disclose. Since it didn't pose a threat or broke any laws; the android decided to lie.  
"I have broken Captain Redfield's coffee machine. I will need but I few minutes to clean up the mess." 

"Jesus..."  
It heard the man on the other line whisper.  
"Alright but hurry it up."  
He was about to hang up. 

"Sir."

A deep sigh.  
"What?"

"May I suggest having a cup of coffee ready for the captain?" 

"..."

Albert didn't talk either. Waiting for a response. 

"You two hurry up here."  
And the director hung up. 

Now alone with itself, Al exited the room. Resuming its waiting by the front door. It wasn't long before Chris emerged from the bathroom, only to disappear into his bedroom and coming back out again fully dressed. In his hurried state he spoke little, only swearing through his teeth. He grabbed his keys and practically ran through the kitchen. 

"We're going."  
He was still upset. 

"Yes."  
The android followed.

\--

The car ride was silent, except for the music playing over the radio. 

"Captain."

Chris ignored it. 

"I called the department. The director asked me why we would be late." 

Chris shifted slightly in his seat, unnerved.  
"What did you tell him."  
Anger was stuck in his throat. 

"I have fabricated a white lie. However, to avoid suspicion, I do think it'd be best to agree on this version of event: I have broken your coffee machine and needed time to clean the mess."

Christopher's demeanor changed, immediately softening.  
"You shifted the blame onto yourself?"  
He asked, a tad confused. 

"I am a new addition to the team, and unaccustomed to the outside world. It seemed a believable lie." 

Guilt crept up on the now much calmer captain.  
"Well yeah, but you didn't have to make it your fault..." 

"Whether your colleagues blame or resent me is inconsequential. As long as my work remains unhindered I can afford their resentment. Of course, I will do my best to integrate the team and establish beneficial relationships, do not worry captain." 

The android's pragmatic approach disconcerted Chris. He knew he had been unpleasant, did that not faze it? The fact that it was a machine continued to elude him evidently... There were near the office now.

\-- 

They left the car in the parking lot and embarked in the elevator. Chris wanted to say something but apologies didn't come. Why? Was it because Albert was a machine? Obviously that was an issue. The fact that it looked human, sounded human... without being human. It nourished a deep discomfort in Chris's subconscious. How should he act? "Treat it as any other colleagues while keeping in mind its true nature"? What did that even mean? And now he was in charge of him. 

"Good morning Captain."  
Piers was the first to welcome the man into the office. 

"Morning Piers."  
It was good to see a familiar face.  
"What do you have for me?"

"Two new cases just came in-"  
He went on to explain the situations, obviously trying hard to pay no mind to the android. Going so far as to deny its existence entirely. 

Albert continued to follow its captain through the room, several desks were organized all around. The men and women part of Chris's team were all there: Jill occupied the desk closest to her partner's bureau.

"Morning Chris."  
She smiled. But her eyes didn't linger, afraid they'd meet the robot's concealed gaze. 

Albert seemed confused. It turned its head toward Christopher, aiming to grab his attention. The captain noticed and stopped before entering his office.  
"Something wrong?"

"Is miss Valentine also a captain? Should I address her as such?"

The trio exchanged confused looks. 

"No, why would you think that?"

"I am sorry. She greeted you with such familiarity, I thought she might be above my station."

Piers remained silent, eyeing the machine cautiously, Jill caught herself wondering how it knew her name and Chris made a vague gesture; explaining:  
"Ah, no. She and I are... were partners, we were for a long time."  
He struggled to find the right words.  
"We're friends."

"I understand."  
Its gaze turned to Piers.  
"Lieutenant."  
He nodded briefly. 

Piers nodded back, wearing a stern expression. 

"Anyway-"  
Chris raised his voice so everyone could hear him.  
"Get to work people we have a long day."  
He lowered his voice to speak normally.  
"Piers, get in my office, I want a detailed report on these new affairs."

The young man acquiesced.

"Jill, I want you to run through our most recent affairs, make sure there's no link. We've had a series of murder happening and I don't want to take any risks." 

"You got it."

"Albert..."  
He paused, not knowing what to have him do.  
"Get acquainted with the space."  
He dismissed. It was a fool order but hopefully it'd keep it busy. And with that he and Piers disappearing into the bureau. 

"Yes Captain." 

Jill had already started working on her terminal. Not sparing so much as a look to the android. Everyone in the room was busy, or pretending to be. No one wanted to garner the machine's attention. Some out of discomfort, some out of fear, some... out of prejudice. Albert remained relatively motionless for a minute or two, looking around. It looked as though it wasn't doing much but in fact he had already scanned almost everything in the room, down to the air composition. It had analyzed the content of Barry's meal, whom desk was at least 4, maybe 5 meters away. Noticed that a spider had made its web in a corner of the room. While analyzing every little details it had deduced whom was more likely to be amicable and targeted its next interlocutor. The machine took a step into's Leon direction, leaving Jill's side to her immediate relief. Noticing the android getting closer and closer Leon became somewhat nervous, but he managed a smile nonetheless and offered a small, silent, greeting. 

"Hello mister Kennedy. We have met yesterday, if only briefly." 

"Ah, yeah."  
He got up to share and handshake. The absence of fingerprints made Albert's hand incredibly smooth, devoid of imperfection, but its skin was soft; much like a human's. Its grip was solid and deprived of heat. 

The robot seemed content with Leon's behavior.  
"My designation is Al-0001, but you can call me Albert." 

"You got it."  
And the agent sat back down.  
"So... Did Chris give you something to do?" 

Everyone else noticed Leon and Albert talking. 

"The captain have ordered me to get acquainted with the space. Only, I find myself with little to do, as I have completed this task already." 

"Already?"  
He had a hard time containing his surprise. 

"Yes, you see I have scanned and analyze this room thoroughly."  
He paused.  
"I don't mean to be a bother, if I am disturbing your work, I'd like you to know that I am very sorry about that." 

"No! no. It's fine. I was preparing to leave for a patrol actually."  
The man took a moment to think. If he was honest with himself he didn't think Albert was all that bad, pleasant actually. Only, his colleagues scrutiny made it hard to ignore the fact that he didn't... yet, belong here. He had an idea.  
"Albert right?"

"Correct." 

"You're equipped for field work, aren't you?"  
He kept his voice relatively low. The android picked up on that and lowered its own voice into a whisper. 

"Yes."

"Want to come with me?"

Albert remained silent for a second, before turning its head around to scout the area, its gaze obviously lingering on Chris's door. It seemed uncertain. 

"Don't worry, we'll ask Chris permission of course. I just want to know if you would like to come."  
He gave it a friendly smack on the shoulder. 

"I-"  
More uncertainty.  
"I think I would like that." 

Leon caught a glimpse of its pale grey eyes underneath his shades. There was... naivety in them.

"Alright, come with me"  
Leon smiled and took the lead toward the captain's office. 

Three knocks on the door before he opened it. 

"Chris."

"Leon. Something wrong?"

Piers sat across the desk in front of Chris. 

"No, everything's fine. I'm going out for my patrol alight?"

"Of course, be safe."

"And I'm taking the android with me."  
He didn't wait for an answer before closing the door. 

"Wh- Leon, wait."  
He was going to go after him but he had so much to do... He figured Leon was competent enough, and if he wanted to go through the trouble? then it was on him.

Chris and his lieutenant exchanged a somewhat worried look.

\-- 

"Alright buddy, come with me."  
The officer, spun the robot around by the shoulder, leading him out of the room and into the corridor. 

"Buddy?"

"Yeah, it's a little nickname. Like; 'Friend'."

"Friend..."

Leon didn't catch the robot repeating the word in a lowly voice. 

"I'm taking to the locker room, we need to change you out of these..."  
He contemplated the eccentric attire.  
"-whatever they are."  
Obviously it wasn't to his taste. 

"These are clothes specifically designed for-"

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry, but I really don't care. We can't have you look like that here." 

"Why not?"

"Well, I could list a number of reason but... If you wanna be a cop we need to have you look the part."

They entered the locker rooms. No one was there, good, it'd make things easier. Leon opened the door of a small closet where spare uniforms were stored. He took a couple of them out. 

"Try these, if they don't fit you can try on another size."  
He presented the android with the uniform, waiting for it to take it. But it didn't.  
"You okay?"

"Is this allowed? Can I really wear these?"  
Another glimpse of his silvery eyes. There were so much... life, in them. 

"Of course-"  
He grabbed Albert's shoulder like you do a friend and tried to meet its eyes once more.  
"-You're one of us now." 

With a little hesitation, Al finally reach for the garment, accepting it.  
"Thank you."  
It smiled awkwardly. It felt forced and unnatural.

Leon couldn't help it and exploded in laughter. 

Now utterly puzzled, Albert lost his smile. 

"Yeah-"  
He tried breathing.  
"We'll have to do something about that smile!"  
He laughed again.  
"Don't worry, I think we can do something with you."  
His chuckling dying out he shooed Albert into a changing room and closed the curtain. 

"Here, get ready and we'll be on our way."  
He leaned against a locker, passing time on his phone. 

"Mister Kennedy?"

"Call me Leon." 

"Yes Leon."

"What is it?"

"Do you usually patrol alone?" 

"Yeah, I do sometimes. Most of the time though, I pair up with someone who has time." 

"Is it not dangerous?"

"To patrol alone? Not really, besides, if I encounter something or someone dangerous I can always call for back-up." 

"I understand. Do you anticipate any real danger for today?" 

"Not at all. I'll take the usual route and I'll show you around the neighborhood. Don't worry, it'll be fun!" 

"Fun? But-"

"It'll be fun."  
He repeated. 

"Yes Leon."

Albert finally stepped out from behind the curtain; wearing the RCPD uniform. It resembled any standard police uniform: All black except for the white T-shirt underneath. The belt fastened around his waist had a hostler attached to it, a pair of handcuffs and a Walkie Talkie. He looked fierce, it suited him like a glove. 

"Looking good! Come on, we'll pass by the front desk and have Hunnigan make you a nameplate."

They set out for the corridor once more and were at the front desk in no time. 

"Hey sexy."  
Leon greeted, joking his way into her field of vision. 

"Hello agent Kennedy."  
She replied, eyeing him from behind her red glasses. A smirk stuck on her face. 

"Aw, no need to be cold."  
He made an overblown pout. 

She noticed Albert. 

"Oh! Hi, I don't think we've met. Are you new here?"  
She asked with a radiant smile, extending her hand from behind her desk for a handshake. 

"Yes. My d-"

"His name's Albert. He just got into the team, think you can make him a nameplate?"

"Of course!"  
She typed on her keyboard.  
"You full name?" 

There was a long pause, Leon eyed the android, trying to prompt a response out of it. Al's program was littered with possibilities... He was overwhelmed. The roguish man leaned in and tried to help: 

"You can pick whichever you want, it doesn't matter which one."

Hunnigan was starting to get worried. 

"Is he okay?"

"Yeah, yeah! He's just nervous."  
Leon dug his elbow in Albert's side. 

"Albert... Wesker."  
It looked at Hunnigan.  
"My name is Albert Wesker." 

"Alright, Albert-"  
She typed it in.  
"-Wesker."  
No going back now.  
"Don't worry Albert, the first day on the job is always overwhelming."  
She offered a comforting smile and got up to fetch the tiny piece of metal. 

While she had her back turned Leon spared another friendly gesture; wrapping his arms around Albert's shoulder and shaking it lightly.  
"Nice choice."  
He whispered. 

"Here you go!"  
She was back and handed it the pin.  
"Welcome to the team! You'll see, we're a big family here." 

It took the name tag in its hand, it laid there in the palm of its hand like a precious treasure.  
"Thank you miss."  
He smiled awkwardly again and Leon captured him in a fell swoop before Hunnigan could realize how broken his smile was. 

"Well we're heading out!"  
He sounded a bit nervous. 

"Oh, wait!"

"Mh?"

"I almost forgot. Here."  
She handed Leon with an earbud for Albert. 

"Thanks."  
He smiled, still Albert was stuck in his arm.  
"Catch ya later."  
He winked and they were on their way. 

\--

In the car, Albert pinned the name tag on his shirt, in the same fashion as Leon. It looked at the earbud perplexedly however. 

"You put it in your ear, so everyone can-"

"I am aware of its purpose. But I don't believe it is necessary for me to have one. I have already channeled into the post communication system. I am kept aware of everything that is being said over the comm already."

"Everything?"  
Leon repeated, a mix of fascination and worry. 

"Yes. Ah, but do not worry, I do not eavesdrop. My system simply will notify me if something worth our time is mentioned."

"Ah."  
He was relieved.

"Leon?"

"Yeah?"  
They only just left the post, there wasn't much to show around here yet. They could indulge in idle chit-chat for now. 

"What is your relationship with the captain? Are you close?"

"Yeah, we're friends. I'm also close with his sister, and we've known each other for a while." 

"Are you and his sister... Romantically involved?"

"Ahah! No, no. We're only friends."  
He giggled.  
"No, I have someone else..."  
His smile faded. 

"Are you well?"  
The machine noticed Leon's sudden change of behavior. 

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry."  
He smiled reassuringly. 

"Is it a sore subject?"

"Yes."

"My apologies."

"Don't worry about it."

There was a minute or two spent in silence.

"But tell me about you!"  
He broke the silence.  
"What do you think about Chris? You guys getting along alright? I've heard you broke his coffee machine."  
Leon seemed to thing it was humorous. 

"It was an accident."

"I believe you."

"But yes. I believe me and the captain are getting along adequately." 

"Mh..."

"Mh?"  
It mimicked. 

"Just adequately? Well, I know you've only just met but... I mean. Is Chris acting alright with you? He's not treating you differently for being a robot, right?" 

"I believe mister Redfield needs time. But he is polite and considerate. I enjoy the space he has made for me."

"Good! good."

"You often say things twice."  
It observed. 

"Mh? Oh yeah, its just a little quirk."  
He laughed.  
"Alright, we've arrived. This here is the neighborhood I usually patrol, we'll drive around and I'll get you acquainted with the space so listen carefully."

"Yes."

They drove around the neighborhood, Leon pointed out several places for several reasons. Some were spots, where he usually parked his patrol car to survey the area, others were narrow alleys where shadow reached far... Others were restaurants! Little diners where the cop enjoyed some time off. After an hour or two, Leon parked his vehicle in the parking lot of such an establishment. A proper american diner. 

"Come one we're taking a break."

They stepped out of the car and into the restaurant. the lady at the counter immediately recognized Leon and smiled.

"Same as always handsome?"  
She was an older woman, Albert deduced she was in her mid fifties.

"You know me."

"And for your friend?"  
She acknowledged Albert. 

"He'll look at the menu."

She nodded and started working on the order. 

"Do you eat?"

"I do not require food." 

"But CAN you eat."

"I am equipped with taste buds... Yes." 

"Then pick something. My treat, new guy." 

"But it seems a waste of money-"

"My treat."  
He objected. 

Addled, the robot faced the menu. It was unaccustomed to making inconsequential decisions. 

"Don't think about it too much, just pick something that looks good!" 

Easier said than done, when the nutritional value of every ingredients of every dish comes rushing to your head.  
5 minutes later the lady was serving his meal to Leon. 

"So, you've made a choice honey?" 

"I-"  
it looked at the menu once more.  
"Two eggs, with bacon and toasts."  
It finally made a choice. 

"Right away."  
She smiled, she had something sparkling in her eye. Evidently she thought Albert was a fine man. She served it a coffee and winked:  
"It's on the house."

"Thank you."  
It replied, looking at her as she turned back to cook. 

"She likes you."  
Leon snickered. 

"She does not realize that I am a machine."  
It contemplated, perplex. 

"Does it matter?"

"Does it... matter?"

The officer took a sip of his coffee and Albert mimicked him. The woman came back with its plate and laid the food before the android, she joined the discussion after that. Enjoying the two men's company while they ate. Albert was relatively silent through it all, a prompt kept popping up in its head like a... Like a thought... 'Does it matter?' it could hear Leon's voice repeating.


	3. Aquaphobia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It becomes clear that not everyone is pleased to have the robot join the team... Some might take more convincing than others. While discovering more and more about Albert, Chris starts to see it... no, him. For what he is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Guys, this is a very light hearted chapter with some silly part thrown in here and there. Next chapter will have a more serious tone so I thought it'd be good to throw some silly moments in while I could :) I hope you like it and let me know what you think! <3

Chris sat uncomfortably, tons of paper work had piled up on his desk and more would come. Stretching, he tried to relief the tension he had been putting on his back. E-mails kept coming-in, every last one of them work related. 

"Captain?"  
Piers peeked into the room. He had left only few minutes earlier. 

"What is it?"  
The strain in his voice was obvious. 

"I can hear you sigh from the other side of the building."  
He teased.   
"Why don't you take a break? Let Bravo team take the load off your shoulder for a while."  
A little smirk cornered his lips. 

"I- I don't know, I'm-"  
Before he could finished Jill butted into the discussion. 

"Piers is right. We've been working nonstop since this morning. Let's gather the guys and head to the break room."

"I-"

"Pretty please?"  
She made a pout?

"Alright..."  
He couldn't refuse her anything. 

They stepped outside the office together and Chris raised his voice so his team could hear him.   
"Alright, let the new guys deal with the paperwork. We're taking a break." 

Alpha team's members sighed in unison; relieved.

"Well about damn time, I can't stand sitting on my butt all day."  
Barry complained.   
"Damn computers give me a headache." 

"That's because you're straining your eyes. I told you, you need reading glasses."  
Rebecca reminded him. 

The man let out a long and tired groan.   
"God forbid."   
He was so obviously in denial. 

"The years are catching up with you old man."  
Chris couldn't help the remark. 

Barry made a frown and everybody tried to cheer him up, laughing on the way out. The younger members of the team were left with all the work. Once they stepped into the corridor they remained relatively silent, they didn't want to bother the others teams by making too much noise. It'd have to be that way until they could reach the break room. O'brian was there, enjoying a hot cup of coffee, looking as drained as he always looked. 

"Rough day?"  
The captain asked, a smile on his face." 

O'Brian made a disgusted sound. 

"Rough day."  
He confirmed to himself. 

"I haven't enjoyed a damn minute to myself since this morning. I had time to cool 3 cups of coffee before I could enjoy this one."  
He took a sip.   
"I hate cold coffee."  
He crashed into one of the sofas in a loud groan. 

The teams joined him.   
Piers went to pour himself a cup of water, while the others sat down with their captain and the director. 

"Mh-"  
He finished a gulped.  
"-Speaking of coffee, I heard the android sacked your kitchen this morning. Did he broke anything else?"

"Ah-"  
Christopher hesitated, remembering that Albert had went through the trouble of confirming their alibi. However... it still didn't feel right, for a second the captain contemplated telling the truth.  
"No it- ... It was a stupid accident really. I was partly to blame."   
He despised having to tell lies and even more so having to shift the blame off himself. It felt cheap, but he kept the truth. 

"And? How is it going? I know I put you on the spot yesterday."

"Well... We've only just met but its not that bad. It was in my bedroom this morning though, gave my a fright." 

Barry cringed.  
"That's creepy, hope he didn't spy on you while you slept."

"Don't say that. I don't wanna get paranoid." 

"Are we certain we can trust that thing?"  
The young man rejoined his team, a severe frown on his visage.   
"I don't like it."

Barry and Jill had a hard time disagreeing, but Rebecca was of another mind. 

"Don't be like that."  
She deplored, android or not, she had a hard time being anything but kind.   
"I heard it talk with Leon this morning... It doesn't sound bad."   
She looked like she had something else to add. 

"Still, they've shown us nothing but tin cans up until now, and all of sudden they pull the most advanced piece of machinery known to man out of their ass."  
Piers was obviously suspicious of more than just the human-like machine. 

"You think Umbrella could be up to something?"  
Jill took an interest. 

"I wouldn't put it past them, is all I'm saying."  
The lieutenant confirmed. 

The team's medic had her eyes set on the floor, biting her lips nervously. 

"Are you okay kid?"  
O'Brian noticed her odd behavior. 

"I- I'm fine."  
She tried to dismiss the sudden attention. 

"Come on Becca, if you've something to say go ahead."  
Barry encouraged. 

"I- I don't know... But isn't calling Albert 'it' a bit disrespectful?" 

"Don't be ridiculous, it's just a machine."  
The young lieutenant was quick to respond. 

"I know that."  
She sounded a bit angry.  
"But... 'it' looks human and sounds human. I'm not comfortable calling him 'it'."  
She made her point. 

"I hear you..."  
Her speech had been eloquent and had given the captain food for thought. 

"Frankly..."  
Jill started.   
"I don't disagree, I guess I just don't know what to make of..."  
She took a moment to think.  
"What to make of it."  
She lowered her eyes, aware that she had chosen to treat it as a machine for now. 

Barry stayed weirdly silent.  
"I'm of a mind with Piers, and until that piece of metal can prove itself useful that's not going to change." 

All this talk got the old director thinking.   
"Speaking of the devil, where's the robot?"  
He finally noticed its absence.

"Leon took him on patrol."  
Chris retorted.

Surprise painted the face of everyone who didn't already knew. 

"I don't know why he'd want to go through the trouble but then again... Doesn't concern me."  
Piers dismissed. 

Jill let out a giggle. 

"What?"  
Chris asked, a smile lingering on his lips. 

"I'm more worried Leon will teach it some weird things."  
She continued to laugh and Rebecca joined her. 

The remark lightened the mood, even Piers cracked a smile. Everybody knew Leon had a lot of personality and no filter. 

"I'll be wanting a full report."  
Barry joked.   
"I'd wager there will be a story to tell." 

"Here, why don't we give him a call? See how things are going."  
The captain suggested. 

He took out his phone and dialed Leon's number, putting him on speakers so that everyone could hear. The ringtone... 

"Captain, what do you need."  
The officer took up the phone. 

"Leon, how's the patrol going?"   
Music could be heard in the background.   
"Listening to music in the car again?"  
He teased, knowing it was pointless to forbid such conduct. 

"Good, good! Albert has given out five parking tickets and we pulled over a speeding vehicle. If we keep this up we'll have our quotas done for the year."  
He sounded chipper.   
"The new guy is good, maybe a little too good? He's pointed out at least a hundred infractions ever since we left. I had to convince him to ease up a bit."

Everyone couldn't help but notice how Leon referred to the android as "he" and "him". 

"Its not giving you any trouble then?"  
The captain asked. 

"HE isn't giving me any trouble. No."  
The agent put a well toned emphasis on the pronoun. 

"Leon, there is only one doughnut left."  
They heard Albert's voice in the back. 

"Oh, yeah yeah, you can have it."  
His voice was muffled, as though he spoke away from the phone. 

"Leon..."

"What?"

"Doughnuts? Really?"

"We're cops! Don't act like you've never had them on the job."  
He defended. 

"I thought the robot couldn't eat."

"Oh, he doesn't need to. But I convinced him to try breakfast and now he's taken a liking to it. Did you know he was equipped with taste buds? He told me that, originally, they were put their so he could identify different substances and analyze them."  
He tried lowering his voice, as if he didn't want Albert to hear him.   
"He tried to eat bird poop earlier..."

"I did not try to 'eat' it. I tried to analyze it."  
Albert protested. 

"With your mouth!"  
Leon exploded, outraged.   
"Anyway, I stopped him before he could do it."  
He was laughing. 

"Well... Good then."  
Chris couldn't help but think the way they seemed to get along was endearing.   
"I'll leave you to it then." 

"Yes sir."

As both men were hanging up, they could hear Albert's voice one last time, saying something about the report.

"Do no worry about the report, Leon. I am redacting it in real time-"  
And they hung up.

"Oh dear, if its doing his work for him you can bet Leon is going to take a liking to it."  
Jill smiled, shaking her head. 

After hearing what Leon had to say, event the most skeptic ones; like Barry and Piers had their curiosity piqued. They'd have to probe Leon for more information later.

"Alright people, let's get back to work."  
O'Brian ordered. 

"Right."  
That settled it, Chris would have to offer some apologies to Albert when he'd see him again. 

\--

The clock was ticking and the day drawn to its end. Agent Kennedy would soon be back from his patrol, Albert in tow. Everyone was getting ready to leave, relaying their documents to those working the night shift. Chris and Jill were talking, joined by their colleagues as they finished their work. As if on cue, when the needle ran past 6, the door into the office opened. 

"Hey~!"  
Leon practically sang. 

"Hello."  
Albert greeted. 

The duo's uniform was covered in dust, Leon has a few scrapes. 

"Hold on, what happened?"  
Chris concerned himself and the team formed around the partners. 

"Okay, okay. Before anyone asks: I am totally fine. It could have been much, much worse." 

"Did you run into trouble?"

"I was out showing the neighborhood to Albert and we stumbled on a little deal. Drugs."  
He tried shaking off some of the dust.   
"We had to chase after them. I went after the dealer and he went after the buyer." 

"I am sorry to say both of them escaped."  
The android offered a formal bow as he apologized.   
"I will do better next time." 

"Hey! No. It was my fault."  
Leon butted in.  
"You had the guy in a hold, if I hadn't fuck up we would have caught both of them."  
He looked upset. 

"Alright, slow down. Explain."  
Chris prompted. 

Leon sighed.   
"We had to chase them all the way up a rooftop. Albert had his guy handled, but I struggled. The pusher pulled a blade on me... I wasn't aware of my surrounding and took a false step back."  
He looked at Wesker.   
"I almost fell of the ledge. Albert let go of the buyer to help me... in the confusion, they bailed."   
He cast his eyes on the ground. It wasn't like him, to mess up like that. 

The robot seemed unsatisfied.  
"I should have been able to cuff him faster. If I had properly analyzed my surrounding before helping agent Kennedy I could have chased after the suspect." 

There was a silence. 

Chris let out a sigh.   
"It's alright."  
He grabbed Leon's shoulder.   
"I'm just glad you're okay."  
The captain looked at Wesker.   
"Thanks... For helping him."

The android didn't react, it looked as if it wasn't there anymore.

"Albert?"  
Leon got worried. 

Immediately the android snapped back to reality.   
"I have submitted today's report."  
It smiled awkwardly.   
"I am pleased to inform you that I have finally identified the two suspects, I have included their records in my report." 

Leon stayed surprised.   
"Wait, is that why you were so silent in the car? You were searching your database?"

"Correct."  
It seemed happy with itself. 

A huge sigh of relief escaped Leon's lips.  
"Man, I thought you were angry or something."  
He grabbed his knees in an exhausted fashion, confusing the machine. 

"No, it is not my place to judge your actions Leon. I aim only to assist."

"Ahah... You got it."  
He laughed tiredly, patting his partner's shoulder.  
"Well, I'm off. Catch you tomorrow buddy."

"You got it."  
And it made a gun with its finger.

Leon laughed as he walked away.  
"More energy in the wrist."  
And he made one too, before going to grab his coat. 

Albert looked at its hand and tried the gesture again. It was obvious this didn't come naturally to it but the lack of fluidity was endearing. 

Hiding a smile Chris proposed they headed home and they left the post together. 

\--

In the car, Chris noticed the dirt hanging onto Wesker's clothes. 

"So, Leon gave you a uniform."

"Yes. I hope it's alright."

"It suits you."

The android didn't respond immediately.

"Thank you, Chris."

"By the way, I wanted to apologize for this morning. It was my fault that we were late and not only did I let you take the blame, I acted like a real dick. Won't happen again."  
He flashed a smile before focusing his attention back on driving. 

A minute or two of silent went by before Albert spoke again.   
"I assume you meant that you acted inadequately?"  
He inquired, unsure. 

"Yes. Yes that's what I meant."

"I originally thought you were saying that you acted like the male reproductive organ and-"

"I get it."  
Chris dismissed, embarrassed.

"Sorry."

"It's alright."

They were home soon after. 

\--

As soon as he stepped inside his apartment the first thing in Chris's mind was food. He was starving.

"Your stomach is growling."

"Yeah, haven't eaten much today."

"Do you want me to cook again?"

Chris turned to face the android and contemplated how dirty it was for the first time. 

"Uh, you should probably take a shower."

Albert looked at itself and then back at Chris.  
"I..."

"Mh?"

"I have never taken a shower. I know how to, of course."

"So there's no problem then."

"Yes..."

Chris could tell something was wrong. 

"Are you going to be alright?"

"I... Chris?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I tell you a secret?"

That's it, his curiosity was piqued. 

"Sure."

"I find myself cautious of water." 

"You mean you're scared?"

"I am cautious."  
It repeated, displeased. 

The captain couldn't repress a laugh. 

"I'm afraid I can't identify the humor in this."  
It frowned. 

"It's alright-"  
Chris unconsciously remembered how Rebecca and Leon had decided to treat the machine and for a moment there, he had forgotten that Albert wasn't human.  
"We're all scared of something." 

"I-"  
Albert cast his shielded eyes on the floor. 

"It's fine, I'll run you a bath."   
Chris took off for the bathroom without waiting for the android. After snapping out of its confusion, the machine followed. They waited by the bath, waiting for the water to fill its vessel. Albert didn't take its eyes off of it. 

"Your skin will protect your circuits right?"  
Chris wanted to make sure he wasn't simply sending it to its doom. 

"I will remain undamaged."   
He sounded none too please. 

The man giggled.   
"You're like a cat."

"Cats are nocturnal predators and can sleep up to 16 hours a day. I do not sleep during the day, nor do I hunt at night." 

"I meant that you're scared of water."

"I am cautious of it."

Chris ignored the correction.   
"There."  
He turned off the faucet, the bath was ready. The captain was waiting for Wesker's next move. 

"Do I have to?"

"Get in the bath and give me your uniform, I'll wash it." 

"But these are my only clothes. I have left the attire given to me by Umbrella at the station."  
It protested. Chris suspected it was looking for an excuse. 

"It's fine! I'll lend you some of my clothes. Come on, we don't have all night." 

Albert regretfully started to undress, giving away his clothes as they came off. He stripped down to his underwear. 

Chris was suddenly curious.   
"Do you?... You know."

"Do I have a penis?"

"Yes."  
Way to put in bluntly. 

"I do."

"Really?"  
He was surprised.   
"Why? Is it really necessary?"  
He indulged in useless curiosity. 

"I suppose my creator thought it was necessary I looked as human as possible."  
It kept the last piece of garment on.

"Anyway you can't go in the bath wearing it. So I'm stepping out of the room just put it in the basket."  
He designated a basket full of dirty clothes. 

"Okay..."  
The machine was less than thrilled. 

"Come on, you can do it. I'll get started on dinner while you do that." 

Chris stepped out of the room and dropped the dirty clothes in the laundry room. After washing his hands he looked inside the frigde, only to be reminded he was all out of anything edible. Figuring he could call in some Chinese food he dialed the number. 

\--

It had been at least 20 minutes, the food had just arrived and the captain was getting impatient. Wondering if Albert had made any progress at all after he had left it alone. 

Three knocks on the door.  
"Hey, how is going in there?"

The door opened slightly and Wesker came peeking out of the room, his shades were still perched on his nose. 

"You're out of the bath? The food's ready." 

The robot stayed silent. 

After a minute of silent contemplation Chris stated the obvious. 

"You didn't go in did you?" 

"... No."

"Dammit..."  
Chris whispered, taking his hand to his forehead in despair.  
"Alright move, I'm coming in."  
He pushed the door but the latter stayed firmly pressed against Wesker.   
"Albert... Let me in."

"I'm afraid I can't to that." 

"Albert!"

The continued argument obviously weighed on Wesker's program. It took everything it had to disobey Chris. 

"Open the door, right now." 

"..."

"It's an order!"  
The door opened immediately.  
"You stubborn-"  
He noticed Albert's was totally naked and tried not to stare.   
"Ahem..."  
He adverted his eyes. Albert's body was built into perfection, its skin was fair and its muscled well defined.   
"Enough of this, get in the water. It's an order."

Albert faced the bath and acted as though it was going in, only... very slowly. 

"Hurry up!" 

"Chris."

"What is it this time?"  
He sighed heavily. 

"Will you come in with me? I think the water would seem less antagonistic if you were to go in first." 

A deep blush painted itself over Chris's cheek, did it even understand what it was implying?   
...  
Of course it didn't. 

"Mh... I can't do that?"  
He answered, confused and embarrassed.

"I see..."  
It had this dejected puppy look. 

His stomach growled once more, at this point he just wanted to get this over with.   
"Argh! Fuck it!"   
He threw his clothes away and stepped into the lukewarm water.   
"See? No big deal!"   
The water was a little cold actually...   
"Fuck..."  
He turned on the faucet and added some more hot water. 

Albert seemed more confident all of sudden and stared at Chris curiously. 

"Can I get out now?"  
Chris was at his limit. 

Without answering the robot entered the water. 

"Wha-!"  
There was a little struggle and then the calm. They were both squeezed against each other in the tiny bathtub. Albert looked ridiculously pleased. 

"I did it."  
It smiled. 

Chris was going to scold the android but... Well, he couldn't stay angry.   
"You..."  
The red on Chris's cheek was obvious. 

"Are you well? Your heartbeat has increased."  
It pointed out, turning a little to face Chris. 

"Yeah. That will happen..."

"I don't understand."

Chris let out another sigh and brushed a hand in the robot's hair, they were soft as silk.   
"Doesn't matter. Turn around I'll wash you hair."   
Giving up completely Christopher simply did as he said... Secretly enjoying the closeness. He never noticed how lonely he had been...

"It does matter..."  
Wesker whispered inaudibly...


	4. Stormy Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris receives a call in the depths of the night, the ringtone tears through the silence of his home and away from his bed. Luckily, he won't have to brave the storm alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey luvs, I apologize if this chapter seems a little shorter, it only has a bit less dialogue! But I hope you'll like it anyway, shit is hitting the fan as I like to say (lol lol) Also, keep in mind that the 10 chapters I've predicted for this fic are mandatory. I might very well make it longer. So let me know what you think of the story so far, I can't wait to read your comments! <3

Chris's apartment was plunged into darkness, the captain had been sleeping for some time now. The day had been particularly hot and the sudden rise in temperature had disturbed the skies; rain hammered the city, thunder roared more audibly by the second, getting closer and closer.  
Flashes illuminated Albert's room briefly, the android sat in the gloom, looking out the window. Droplets hammered the glass relentlessly, another strike of lightning; the sky caught fire for just moment. Although... through eyes of metal, the robot calculated and analyzed, instead of seeing the ephemeral beauty of electricity; crackling to spark in a powerful crash. Although it failed to see it that time, it could feel the amount of raw energy suspended, yet constantly agitated, in the air.  
Do you know that feeling you get before a storm? Something aches insides of you, the wind carries the smell of static... Most of us can't explain it, we just know.  
Of course, things were different for Al, it knew the smell lingering in air; Ozone. It could almost see the electrical charges, how the barometric pressure had changed when the rain started to fall, how the levels of humidity had spiked...  
But that didn't matter, on stormy nights, things were different. The current flowed differently through its circuit; it could see clearer, smell better, hear sharper... feel deeper. Its programs acted differently, reaching far beyond the obvious, the plain... It asked questions... and sought answers.  
Sometimes, it asked questions nobody has answers to, questions nobody had thought to ask before... But tonight its mind was captivated with the weather. It loved how the humans tried to predict the sky's whims, to it; it felt like poesy.  
Trying to read that which hung high above their heads, trying to make sense out of random chains of events acting on a molecular level. A bit like trying to read an empty book, letting your finger linger on blank pages and then... tired of the nothingness, you grab a pen and start scribbling formulas, and you try to explain things that don't need explaining; because, thunder will boom long after you and long after me...  
That's what its complex mind concluded. It understood; that humans needed to understand... and that they feared that which they did not. Maybe then, that meant it and them weren't so different after all... Its programs continued to grasp and cling to information, sifting through a database that humans had spent centuries building.  
But nothing transpired, for it sat motionless in a dark room... 

Suddenly, a ringtone tore through the silence. Albert heard Chris moving in his room, when the noise stopped, a tired voice picked up where it left off. 

"Yes?"  
The voice was muffled, groggy. 

There was a long silence, underlined only by falling water and not so distant roars of thunder.  
Halfway through what had to be a long monologue, Chris shuffled around; opening drawers, closets, without closing them back. The steps became more and more agitated, the man was fully awake now. 

"I'm leaving, hold the parameter until I get there."  
The captain hurriedly exited his room and stomped for the front door. 

Wesker barged out of its room, startling the commander as he was stepping out the apartment.

"Jesus, you scared me-"  
Before he could said more, the android interrupted him. 

"Take me with you."

A second was spent in silence, Chris couldn't shake off his surprise.  
"I don't think-"

"Please! If I can be of some small assistance to you."  
It took a step forward as it pleaded. 

A sigh, letting the tension out of his shoulders the captain regained a semblance of calm.  
"Alright. Come on, we're leaving."  
Christopher threw a coat over his back and jogged in the rain, hiding under the parka. 

Albert followed, immediately drenched in water, its hair become undone, its white t-shirt becoming see through... But it didn't matter, it wasn't scared of water anymore. 

\--

Driving through the night; they burned red lights, the siren on top of Christopher's car made those few other vehicles stand on the side of the road. In a matter of minute they were at there destination, two police cars were already on the scene; painting the nearby homes in red and blue lights. Yellow ribbons surrounded a simple, charming house; asking unauthorized personnel to keep out.  
'Keep out' 'Keep out' 'keep out'... Over and over again, written in bold black letters. 

Chris stepped out of the car first and his robot partner stepped out after him. They met with Jill, waiting on them by the front door, shielded from the rain by the semi-roof standing over the porch. 

The woman greeted her partner with a sad nod, her eyes were empty. 

"What's the situation?"  
The man noticed her expression but remained focused on the task. 

"The coroner is already inside, inspecting the bodies... It isn't pretty in there." 

"Who are the victims?"

"A young couple... and their two kids..."  
She arranged her cap, hiding a portion of her face under it. 

There was a flash inside the house, and the clicking noise of a camera accentuated the silence between them. 

The captain grabbed his partner's shoulder gently, and forced his eyes into hers.  
"Take the rest of the night off, we'll cover it from here. If you need tomorrow off, just give me a call in the morning." 

She acquiesced, slowly, without energy. And then stepped down the three steps leading up to the house before walking away. Albert noticed how seemingly affected she was and how quickly Chris had picked up on it. It seemed as though there was a bit of history there... 

"Come on Albert, we're going inside. Stay close to me and don't touch anything." 

"Yes sir."

They crossed the door and it closed behind them. 

\--

Inside, they were greeted, first by the overpowering smell of death and second, by Piers; a solemn, brief, nod. 

"Glad you're here. We've already marked the evidences, at least those we've identified. The coroner is looking over the bodies, he's going to need some space for now. Feel free to look around if you want, we might have missed something."

A man was crouched over the body of a man, laying in a pool of his own blood. Not far was the body of a woman, she too, drowning in the red river. 

"We've been told there were four victims."

"Yeah..."  
Piers designated the stairs, thrown his thumb over his shoulder.  
"-The kids are upstairs."  
The young lieutenant sighed.  
"This whole things a mess, it's hard to look at."

Chris patted his comrade on the back.  
"You never get used to it."  
He turned to face Albert, still wet from the rain, but that was the last of their problems.  
"You're coming with me?"

"Of course."

Not two steps up the staircase, the android asked for Chris's attention. 

"Captain?"

"Mh?"

"Do you want me to search the second floor alone?" 

They stopped climbing. 

"Why?"  
He asked, suspicious. 

"I noticed what you said to the Lieutenant. It might be difficult for you to withstand the sight. Especially considering they were children and the violent nature of the crime-" 

"Let me stop you right there. I get what you're trying to do, I appreciate it. But this is my job, I'm going to do it and I'm going to do it well. Are we clear?"

"Yes, captain."

Their ascension over, they noticed the myriad of yellow panels laid all over the area; Marking blood splatters, scratches and impacts on the walls, a hammer... Covered in the red substance. Being careful not to disturb any of the evidences they tip-toed their way into a children's room, where the two bodies were left. The bedroom was painted in vivid colors, a soft pink with white highlights, butterflies stickers on the walls. The two beds were mounted on white wooden frames with tulips; hand painted on them. A toy box was pressed into an adjacent corner; the floppy ears of a plush bunny sticking out of it. It was obvious that this was the room of two beloved children whose parent poured time and dedication into raising. A round carpet crowned the floor, previously lilas, now littered with drops of a deep red. Both kids were on their beds, the sheets were soaked in gore. Their heads had been busted in. 

Christopher took a deep breath, the air coming out of his nostrils was irregular, regulated by a slight, almost imperceptible, shake. They toured the room and then the rest of second floor before coming back down. The coroner was done examining the bodies. 

"Mister Redfield."  
The man greeted. He was older, nearing his sixties perhaps. The grey hairs on his scalp and the pale hair constituting his well-trimmed beard were obvious hints. The wrinkles around his eyes surrounded a pair of well worn pupils. A pair of glasses were mounted on his nose.  
"I've analyzed the bodies, the estimated time of death is around 8 pm."

This was a fresh kill. 

"I arrived second on the scene at approximately 9 pm. I've already interrogated the first responder and he was sent home."

"How were the authority contacted?"

"A neighbor called in, reporting screams for help and loud noises." 

They continued talking the details when Albert's attention pulled it elsewhere. The android slipped away unnoticed, walking towards the back door.

"There was skin tissues under the woman's nails. She might have wounded her aggressor, but there's also a chance she might have scratched herself in the struggle or another one of the victims. It's hard to tell, the bodies are covered with wounds."  
The doctor pointed out.  
"We've sent it to the lab, but there isn't much we can do for now besides waiting for the results." 

Albert reached for the handle, opening the door and letting the wind blow a welcome breeze into the house. The rain beat the hearth relentlessly. 

Finally noticing Wesker has strayed away from him Chris called it out.  
"Albert, stay close to me. I've told you not to touch anything."

But the robot ignored him, obviously concentrating on something else. Under its shade was a visible frown. It closed the door, its eyes following a trail invisible to everybody else. 

"What are you doing?"  
He said, tired.

The lack of seriousness with which its abilities were treated was obvious.  
Suddenly, it raised its hand, elevating it up next to his face. It shushed loudly and everyone went quiet.  
"Can you hear that?" 

Everyone present focused, trying to pick up a sound. 

Nothing... 

Chris walked up to Albert, stepping lightly. And focused once more. 

And then... a faint thud. Coming from under their feet. 

"Piers, does this house have a basement?" 

"Not that we know of."  
Right then, the young man went on full alert. 

Albert put a finger on his lips, ushering Chris further into the house. Piers followed the duo, everyone else stayed perfectly still.  
They reached the end of a corridor leading to a small, isolated bathroom. And Wesker pointed out a carpet, which seemed, not only out of place but disturbed.  
In a quiet voice, the machine finally shared some of its discovery. 

"I've analyzed every boot prints since we've come here, I was able to link each pair of shoes to its owner. The suspect couldn't have escaped through the front door."  
"While I checked the back door, I scanned the terrain for any sort of trace. Nothing, there wasn't a single print in the mud."  
Slowly, it removed the carpet, revealing a trap door.  
"Whoever did this, couldn't have escaped through the back door."

Both Chris and Piers took their weapons out by this point.  
There was another very faint sound, coming directly from the concealed entrance. 

"But then, where did the culprit go?"  
Kneeling down, it pressed an ear against the wooden panel. There it was, clear as day; a ragged, hot, breath. Silenced by panic, the whining song of a trapped rat.  
A smile drew itself on Wesker's visage, pulling its lips every so slightly, none of the two men noticed, nor did they hear it whisper into the keyhole.  
"You're trapped little rat."

On stormy nights, things were different...


	5. Puppeteer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something goes wrong when Wesker goes to apprehend the suspect and Umbrella takes swift actions against the defecting robot...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey luvs, glad I could finish this one up before going to bed (my back is killing, the things I do for y'all lol lol) It's another, rather short (?) chapter but its jammed packed with hints! Let's see if you can spot them all eheh! I hope you enjoy your read and please let me know what you think is going on with our favorite android! <3 See you guys soon for more!

Wesker swung open the trap door violently, the man inside stumbled down the short flight of stairs leading up to the only exit out of the cellar. He ran further in, but Albert was on his trail. In desperation, the suspect tipped over everything he could get his hands on, trying to slow down his pursuers. Unfortunately, the machine was one step ahead each time and successfully dodged any attempts with feline agility. Soon enough, the murderer ran out of space to run. Cornered he did what any wild animal would do; he lunged forward, attacking the android.   
Albert wasn't armed, but it didn't need a weapon... It let the man come to him and wrestled him unto the ground, holding him in an arm lock. The robot knew exactly how much pressure to exert in order to subdue the man without harming him... but he chose to. Its own arms started to tighten, putting more and more stress unto the perpetrator's shoulder. It was on the verge; ready to dislocate.   
The criminal's voice escaped clearly for the first time, it was shrill... 

Chris and Piers caught up, shining their flashlights on the duo.   
This wasn't a man, this was a goddamned kid. Couldn't have been more than seventeen years old.   
The young man was covered in blood, his face partially hidden under the hood of a dusty sweater. He continued to squeal, begging for Wesker to stop bending his arm. 

"Albert!"  
Chris latched onto the machine, yanking him off the young culprit.   
"Piers! Cuff him."

The lieutenant had him in cuffs a second later. 

Taking him apart, Chris whispered angrily, air sifting through his teeth.   
"I didn't say you could go in dammit!" 

The android stayed of marble. 

"For fuck sake. Let me make myself clear here; You don't act, move or fucking breath until I say so! I'm the captain, your team leader. When did you hear me say you could apprehend the suspect?"  
Anger still tainted his voice. Evidently, with every step forward, they took two steps backward. 

The robot stayed silent.

"When!?"  
The captain insisted. 

"I didn't sir."

"That's right. You didn't! Because I didn't say it."   
He finally let go of its arm and turned his back on it, taking two steps forward and sighing heavily. 

"I thought it was best to apprehend the culprit as soon as possible."  
Its programming justified. 

"The suspect."  
Chris corrected.   
"Dammit Albert! You wrestled him to the ground, almost broke his fucking shoulder and you haven't even recited his rights." 

The reason of his anger finally became apparent. 

"These are things he's going to use against us! Do you understand what I'm saying?" 

It did. 

"He might get away with this because of you."   
The man accused and Albert's eyes immediately cast themselves on the ground. Another deep sigh. 

"I maintain sir. He his the perpetrator. I have collected more than enough data, we can used them as proof." 

Chris seemed more calm now, but something didn't seem right.   
"No Albert... We can't. Because no jury, no judge will accept evidences collected by a damned robot!"  
His voice raised again on that last occasion. 

The AI understood the gravity of the situation, it analyzed its own course of action again and again... and again. And it found thousands of things wrong with its reasoning. For a moment it forgot... everything. Why it was here for, what it was... In the moment, the only thing that mattered was catching the suspect. No... that wasn't it. For a moment, just for a moment... It enjoyed the thrill of the chase. It didn't want to catch the young man... it wanted to chase him, corner him and watch, as the realization sank. That fateful moment when he understand that he couldn't get away. It remembered another detail, when he had the young man under him, it wanted to see him suffer... It wanted to kill him. The realization came... Only, it wasn't how it had imagined it to be. Albert was the one on a date with fate. And it was scary...   
Unable to take further action, the android just stared blankly into the void. Left alone by both Chris and Piers as they took the teenager away.  
The next person to find him was the good doctor, the coroner. 

"It has been an eventful night."  
He started, his voice was soothing. His attire, if austere, somehow put Wesker at ease. It was used to be surrounded by scientists, doctors, chemists... Intellectuals of all spheres.   
"I heard what Chris said..."  
He admitted.   
"I know that you are a machine. 

Suddenly, Albert remembered how Leon had previously tried to hide the robot's true nature. And how people that didn't know were always... More gentle... It grew nervous. Its programs had already started to form patterns, the conclusion was hazy still but... No good ever came from being a machine. The words flew out of its mouth despite being against every single algorithm in its being.   
"I am not a machine..."   
It denied... 

The old man looked at Wesker with great empathy, if not without surprise.   
"Well, Albert..."  
He shared a familiar gesture: a hand on the shoulder.   
"I believe you." 

Wesker, stayed silent. Its voice was now stuck... Locked away... 

"Come, let's get you out of here." 

There both exited the cellar together. Albert noticed the lingering smell of blood in the air...

\--

The teenager had been taken away, en route for the nearest police station where he'd stay locked up, awaiting his first trial. Chris and his lieutenant were outside in the rain, speaking to each other, looking none too pleased. When they noticed Albert approaching they quieted down, giving him a somewhat dirty look. 

"I apologize sincerely."  
Were the first words to escape the android's mouth.   
"I was wrong. Not only did I not properly obey I-"  
It remembered its own words:  
'I'm not a machine'   
And something happened within its UCT, it was unlike anything it had felt before. Like a shock of electrical current, a spark... Sharp and brief first, then lingering... Like pain.   
"Ah!"  
It grabbed its head in response. The groan didn't go unnoticed.

Chris's hard demeanor suddenly melted. Anger was replaced with concern.   
"Albert? What's happening."

"Nothing captain!"  
It strongly denied. But then the pain came again.   
"Ah!"  
It almost shouted, falling down to its knees. 

Christopher knelt down with him, trying to meet the android's eyes.  
"Hey! Talk to me!"

"I- I-"  
Its voice began to sound more and more robotic, fading away...  
"I don't understand..."  
There were echoes... ripples in its programs. Something was trying to relay a message? No. It was... a memory? The voices were distorted and seemed so far away. But something, something important was withing its grasp. It could almost remember! 

Right then, a car parked by the side of the house, just outside the perimeter. The tires screeched against the cement, the doors open and two familiar faces emerged. It was the man and woman from Umbrella... Escorted by two armed soldiers; dressed in all black, equipped with gas masks... Their automatic rifles rested in their hands. They paced quickly towards the trio. The coroner spied the scene, not too far. 

"Chris-"  
It tried to say something, but it was obviously it was becoming increasingly difficult to stay coherent. 

"What is it?"

There were past the perimeter now. 

"I-"  
Its shades stumbled off his nose, for the first time its pale grey eyes properly met with the blue of Chris's eyes. 

They interrupted before anything more could escape the android's mouth. 

"Apologies."  
The woman spoke, her tone was cold.  
"We'll be taking over."

The two armed men tried to pry the machine's away from Chris but it clung desperately onto its captain.   
Chris noticed, but before he could do anything to stop them, they yanked the robot back violently and started to drag him away. 

"Chris! Please! Don't let them h-"  
It shouted out in a desperate, broken voice; littered with static. Before it could finish its phrase however... One of the two guards took some sort of taser to its neck and shocked it. Just like that it was over... Wesker's eyes went lifeless and it released all the tension in its body; falling like a rag doll in the other guards arms.

Chris was shook, Piers too. They might have been displeased with how Albert had handled things back there but... They might have never caught the culprit if it wasn't for the AI. Granted, they still needed to get used to it, but in some strange sense, they were already attached to it. And seeing harm befalling it was... disturbing. 

"What are you going to do with him?"  
Chris forgot himself, treating the machine as human once more. 

"Please, there is no cause for concern. We were made aware of a problem within its unit. We're simply going to fix it."  
She adjusted her glasses.  
"We apologize for the any hindrance this unit might have cause. Rest assured, this is not going to happen again. We'll make sure of it..."  
The last bit was ominous at best...  
"In any event, the android will be back in your office by tomorrow in perfect working condition."  
She took a step back.   
"Gentlemen."  
And she excused herself, turning heels to return to her car. 

Before long they were all gone. 

Christopher's visage was distorted in a grimace. A mix of confusion, concern... a hint of panic. He couldn't help but feel he had failed to help a member of his team... What Wesker was trying to say before getting shut down... "Don't let them h-". What did it meant? "Don't let them hurt me." Was the only thing coming to the captain's mind. 

"I fucking knew it."  
Piers interrupted his thoughts.   
"Bastards are spying on us." 

Chris snapped out of it and was forced to admit that, indeed, it seemed like it. 

"How else could they have known Albert had done something wrong."   
The young lieutenant was perplexed.   
"Chris, you know I'm not a big fan of the android. I still don't know what to make of it after tonight. But it didn't do everything wrong, and the way they just swooped in like that? The way they didn't let it speak? That was fucked up. Mark my words, it was going to tell us something important, and they didn't want us to hear it." 

"Yeah..."  
Chris had to agree.

"What do you think it tried to say? At the end..."

Their eyes met. 

"Because it sounded a lot like he was begging us to help it from where I stand."  
Piers could appear cold on occasions, but his heart was stout. And he was sensitive to other people's pain. He might not have liked to admit it... But it seemed that extended to the android as well. 

"Yeah, that's exactly what it sounded like... Fuck..."  
The captain was exhausted and time was still ticking. It was high time they left the scene. 

Tomorrow would be another day.

\--

The morning came... too fast. Way too fast. Christopher had been unable to sleep, his mind tortured him relentlessly. He couldn't help but wonder where Albert had been taken, what had been done with him. He hoped that the robot would be a the office today...   
As he was enacting his morning ritual, he received a call from Jill. She needed to take the day off. Chris didn't argue, wishing her a good day's rest.   
Clean and dressed, the captain passed by the kitchen to grab his coffee. It came swiftly... The memory of Albert's lie, they day they arrived late... It was strange, they had spent so little time together. When did the android's presence became so big to him? How was he not aware of this? The silence was heavy, the apartment felt empty; knowing that there was nobody behind that door.  
He eyed the guest's room... No. Albert's room. 

A long sigh escaped the man as he poured the hot beverage into a traveling mug.   
"Please be alright..."  
He silently prayed. 

\--

The captain dragged his feet along the corridor, crossing the door into his department, where most of his team sat by their desks. 

"Good morning..."  
It was lifeless. 

Everyone already knew what had happened.   
Leon was fast on his feet. 

"Where's Albert?"

"He's... It's..."  
He struggled for a second.   
"He's not with me."  
He finally answered. 

"So it's true? Umbrella took him back?"  
It was obvious this affected him. He frowned sadly. 

"Yeah... But they said he'd be back today."   
He tried to comfort his friend. 

Barry was unnerved, but no one could have suspected the reason.   
"They foist him on us and then they take him back like it doesn't concern us." 

Everyone stayed surprise to hear him use the pronoun... Him? Not it? 

"What's more, they're using him to spy on us? The balls on these people."  
He huffed, outraged. 

"Piers told us... About how he acted before he was taken away."   
Rebecca's soft voice raised.   
"What do you think is happening?"  
She looked saddened. 

"I have no idea..."  
It was the truth. He didn't know... He didn't know a damn thing about Wesker. These little moments they had shared felt so empty all of sudden... Remembering the last words he had said to him was... painful.   
"You don't act, move or fucking breath until I say so!"  
He could hear himself say.   
"-no jury, no judge will accept evidences collected by a damned robot!"  
Enough... Enough.   
His mind kept torturing him. 

The men and women around here were silent, looking over their captain with concern. 

"Get to work people."   
His feet dragged him a few meters further and then the door closed behind him. 

Jill's desk was empty... 

Barry turned to look at Piers, the young man's eyes were still glues on Chris's door.   
"What happened back there kid? What made you change your mind about... About Albert?"

"I- I can't explain it very well."  
He paused.  
"His voice was broken, it didn't sound that human anymore but... It was filled to the brim with emotion. I know-"  
And he emphasized.  
"-I know he was pleading for help.I felt it in my guts." 

Leon sat back down at his desk.   
"Can I tell you guys something?"  
He was hesitant.

"You know you don't have to keep anything from us."  
Rebecca eased him into it. 

"There's something very wrong with Albert."  
He finally said. Taking everyone by surprise. 

"Wrong? What do you mean?"  
They all thought he was on the android's side. 

"Don't get me wrong! It's not something... His fault. Damn, this isn't coming out right."  
He dreaded. 

"Take your time."  
Her soft voice was soothing. 

"The day I spent with him was... eventful. We talked a lot."  
He paused.  
"The more I talked, the more he talked, and... He started showing more and more personality. At some point, it felt so natural, like he was human, like he had always been human. But then..."  
He mimicked a drop with his hands.   
"He froze, stopped talking and he was back to square one. He listened instead of talking, suddenly he didn't have an opinion anymore..."  
He knew what he was about to say was grave, but he chose to say it anyway.   
"It was like someone didn't like he was getting so autonomous and just... hit the reset button." 

Piers hit the desk with his fist. This only confirmed what he already suspected: Someone was playing puppet master.   
"I fucking knew it."

Despite what this implied, everyone seemed to empathize with the machine instead of antagonizing him. 

"I-"  
Rebecca was about to add something when:

The door giving into the office opened, and Albert stepped inside. He looked left, then right and noticed the group talking.   
"Good morning."  
He added nonchalantly, like the other mornings that came before. 

"Wesker!"  
Leon exited his chair and jogged toward his friend. 

"Hello, Leon."  
It greeted again.   
He remembered his partner, and the day they had spent together. No damage was apparently done to him. 

"Are- Are you okay?"  
The officer inquired, shocked to see him appear so suddenly. 

"Yes, I am well. Thank you."  
He smiled awkwardly. 

A sigh of relief escaped Leon.   
"We heard you were taken away yesterday-"

"I was taken away for maintenance." 

"Ah... Y-Yeah."

The rest of the group formed around him. Barry and Piers were still reluctant to greet him, despite their newfound acceptance of him. Rebecca didn't show the same restraint. She had this sense of urgency all of sudden, she had to speak up, like she was afraid that if she didn't do it now, she might never be able to again. 

"I'm glad you're okay!"  
She came up to him.  
"I'm Rebecca, the team's doctor. I'm sorry that we haven't been introduced sooner."  
She smiled. 

By now Chris had heard the commotion and came peeking out of his bureau.

"Albert!"  
Christopher's eye became wider and his expression; sad and soft.   
"You're back."  
He could scarcely believe it. Something in his brain was convinced that, whenever someone was taken away as he was... they were never to be seen again. Probably, that told something unfortunate about him personally.

"Yes, I am sorry if I worried you." 

"W-Well, are you okay?"

"Yes, thank you."  
He repeated. 

"T-They didn't hurt you? Did they?"  
He had to ask. 

"I was taken in for maintenance."

"Yeah... Okay... But that's not what I asked."   
He insisted. 

"I cannot feel pain."  
He informed them. 

"It's a yes or no question Albert."  
He was already suspicious. 

"..."

"Yes or no?"  
He asked again. 

"I cannot feel pain."  
His eyes were cast on the ground, a new pair of shades hiding them. 

"That's not how it looked to me yesterday... Your head was hurting you."  
He took a step forward, closer to the android. 

"You must be mistaken."

Chris pressed further.  
"When they took you away, you shouted something. What did you wanted to say?"

The robot seemed confused.   
"I have no memory of this. If I shouted at you, I am deeply sorry, it will not happen again." 

The team exchanged subtle looks. Aware that they were being monitored, Chris had no other choice but to drop the subject for now. 

"I see... I'm sorry, I must be confused. I haven't slept well."   
Christopher ably dropped the subject, smiling as if he had said something silly. 

"Please do not apologize."  
Another broken smile. 

"To work people."  
The captain re-enacted, sounding more alive this time around. 

Everyone started to disperse, immediately, Leon took Albert back under his wing.

"One more thing-"  
Chris said before going back to work.   
"Take those shades off."  
He ordered the android. 

"But they were designed to-"

"You have beautiful eyes."  
Chris interrupted.  
"It's a shame to hide them."  
And he disappeared. 

Albert looked at the empty space before him before trapping the frame of his glasses between his fingers. He slowly uncovered his eyes, a silvery pale, shiny... Like diamonds. 

"He's right, ya know."  
Leon added.   
"That's a fetching pair."   
He complimented again. 

"Thank you."  
He smiled, but it wasn't broken...


	6. Neon Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wesker experiences his first weekend outside of a laboratory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey luvs, glad you could join me for another chapter! I can't wait for you guys to read that one, and I'm very sorry for the delay <3 Hopefully it was worth the wait. Let me know what you thought and I'll see you guys soon for another chapter <3 
> 
> PS: at that point I'm almost certain this series will have more than 10 chapters lol

The sun was barely visible, shying away behind the horizon; painting the sky. Orange bleeding into blue, yellow trapped in between. The clouds like splashes of watercolor; splintering honey-colored light...  
Wesker noticed a pearl of dew, slowly sliding down the fragile petals of a tulip. It hung by the edge, flimsily; before a gentle breeze blew it off its perch. As it fell, it crossed the star, and for a nano-second there was a rainbow; trapped inside a frail prison, soon to break...  
When finally the droplet hit the ground, Albert closed his eyes; blinking twice. A smile kissed his lips, he seemed content.  
There it was; a small window, by a bed of tulips; A maple tree standing proud just out of sight, a shrub of white blossoms; a subtle cluster of mushrooms in its shade. And a portion of the sky...  
So much life; framed in a perfect rectangle...  
Albert reached out his hand, caressing the glass with his fingertips; pretending he could feel the frail bloom between his digits. His pale grey eyes were serene, fascinated with the crimson beauty.  
There was a small creature, resting by the pistil; It's shell reflecting a thousand shades of green. The scarab deployed its transparent wings and calmly flew away; surfing alongside a soft wind.  
Wesker blinked again, another satisfied smile smile stuck on his visage. 

Fulfilled, the android left the room. It was early, and the apartment was dormant still. But the robot was filled with a sense of purpose; this was his very first weekend and he desired to see and experience as much of it as possible.  
His first weekend...  
He reached the living room, where a few of Chris's belongings lounged, and stood there; immobile. He... He didn't know what to do. He had no instructions, no order of the day... His previous enthusiasm subsided, doubt filled the blank space.  
There was a magazine; laying open of the coffee table. In it; various recipes and tips to improve one's cooking.  
Had Chris procured it?  
Curiosity and the prospect of something to do... Wesker slowly and carefully turned its pages, memorizing every recipes contained in the articles. A few minutes later he had finished his read. Immediately after that he was on his feet; purpose coursing through his programs again. He paced confidently towards the kitchen. 

\--

Christopher lazied around in bed, sunken in a myriad of pillows; muffling loud snores. Fatigue had been accumulating and he needed a good night of rest, fortunately, he was able to enjoy that. Curiously, Albert's return had put his mind at ease and he had fallen asleep without difficulty.  
He snored again and again, still sleeping somewhat deeply. But then, during one such inhale, his nose picked up a new fragrance. It became more and more flagrant, soon, divine aromas filled the air, dancing around in the gloom of his bedroom, coming from the kitchen. A sizzle was muffled by the distance.  
Before he even knew it, his mouth began to water and he awoke in the middle of a snore. Immediately tasting the flavor saturated odor. He sniffed twice before opening his eyes.  
Still drowsy, he dragged himself out of bed; lulled out of it by the alluring smell. He followed it, in a trance-like longing, hauling himself through the apartment in nothing but his boxers. He was still very much asleep...

"Ah! Good morning captain!"  
The android said, joyous. 

"Good... morning?"  
Suddenly better aware of himself, the man grew confuse. 

"Please, sit."  
Albert went to pull him a chair, leaving breakfast unattended for no more than a few seconds. 

"Thanks..."  
He sat down in a yawn.  
"What are you cooking?"  
His voice was quiet, soft, one of his eyes was wider than the other and his hair were in a fashionable mess. 

"I'm trying a new recipe."  
His back was to him, his attention focused on the meal.  
"I'm not quite sure how it'll turn out."  
There was a hint of apprehension in his voice.

"Need help?"  
Chris proposed, rubbing his eyes. 

"No!"  
His voice raised a little. 

Chris was taken by surprise.

"I- I mean..."  
He grew embarrassed... or something akin to it anyway.  
"I'm very sorry. I just... this was supposed to be a surprise."  
He didn't turn around to meet his gaze, he continuously looked down in the pan.

Christopher laughed.  
"I'm sorry, the smell just pulled me out of bed."  
He scratched the back of his neck, him too, a little embarrassed. That's when he noticed how he was barely dressed.  
"I'll tell you what, I'll go get dressed; I'll be back when it's ready."  
He got on his feet, yawning and stretching again. 

"Yes."  
He seemed to regain some of his lost confidence. 

Chris went back to his room and threw on a pair or joggings and a white t-shirt. Making a stop by the bathroom he washed his face, tamed wild locks of hair, brushed his teeth. That couldn't have taken more than a few minutes, yet, when he turned around to leave he caught Albert looking at him from the door; left ajar. 

"D- Do you need the bathroom?"

"No."  
His voice was tiny. 

Chris opened the door completely. 

"The food is ready..."  
His pale silvery eyes systematically refused to meet his.  
"The food is served... I- I got impatient, I'm sorry."

The way he was so eager to have Chris partake in his surprise was unexpected and frankly adorable. 

Chris let out a giggle.  
"Can't wait to try it."  
He followed the android to the kitchen, something felt different. Ever since he had complimented his eyes, the robot hadn't put the shades back on, but he almost never let their gaze meet. Coincidentally, ever since he had stopped wearing the sunglasses he was noticeably more expressive, more... human. 

"Here."  
They sat down.  
"I do hope you'll like it." 

"You aren't eating?"  
Chris noticed there was only one plate set a the table. 

"I-"  
The android seemed confused.  
"No?"

"Leon told me you could taste. Aren't you curious about your new recipe?"

His eyes were cast low, searching something to set themselves on. 

"Plus... It's kind of weird if you just sit there looking at me while I eat."

"Oh. Is it making you uncomfortable?"

"Yes."  
Chris admitted, smiling a little. 

"I apologize-"  
It seems he didn't quite know what to do with himself all of sudden. 

"Just grab yourself a plate."  
He laughed gently.

"Yes."  
He hurried back with a portion to call his own, but seemingly didn't quite understand the part about staring at Chris while he ate. 

Christopher took the first few bites, feeling the scrutiny. He knew what the robot was waiting for:  
"That's delicious!"  
He stuffed his cheek, almost forgetting about the unblinking eyes of his company.  
"Where did you find that recipe?"

"I found a magazine, laying on the coffee table in the living room."  
He admitted. 

"Oh! That-"  
Chris blushed. To be honest, he had bought it secretly, hoping to improve his own skills in the kitchen. He felt he couldn't continuously embarrass himself in front of the AI by living like a college student. Between his things laying around the apartment, the half empty fridge, the take-out boxed littering the kitchen...  
"Yeah, they were giving it away at the store."  
He lied to protect his fragile pride. 

"I'm glad I found it."  
He smiled, he was getting better at it.  
The food still sat untouched in his plate.  
"I- This is my first weekend."  
He explained.  
"To be perfectly honest with you, while I am excited for it, I- Simply don't truly understand what they entail. As I understand it, its a lot of doing nothing..."  
He needlessly cleared his throat, worried the latest comment might have offended the captain.  
"Not that there's anything wrong with that! I too, do things like... nothing, sometimes..."  
He repressed a subtle grimace. 

Chris took a sip of coffee.  
"You've got it backwards!" 

"Uh?"

"Weekends is when shit really hits the fan."  
He laughed, remembering a few misadventures. 

"Oh."  
His eyes became wide, he made a slight pout with his lips; and they seemed stuck in an 'o' for a while. 

"Why don't we go out tonight? I'll invite the others and we can go drinking."

"At a bar?"

"Yeah! Don't worry, they'll let you in."  
He joked.  
"You look old enough."  
He continued laughing at his own pleasantries.

"Technically speaking I'm only a few months old." 

Chris frowned and put down his cup.  
"Don't say that, its weird."

"It's true."

"How old were you meant to pass as?"

"I was meant to resemble a man in his late forties." 

"You look like you're about 45."

"Oh, thank you."  
He smiled awkwardly. 

"So you are 45."

"But-"

"End of discussion."

"Yes sir." 

They ate in silence for a little while, with Wesker finally digging in. It wasn't long before the android re-initiated the discussion however.

"Chris?"

"Yeah?"

"May I show you something?"

The captain's curiosity was instantly peaked. 

"You- Want to show me something?"

"Yes, if that's alright with you. I think you might like it." 

"Of course, go ahead."  
He was a bit skeptic, not knowing what to expect. 

Albert put the back of his hand down on the table, light emanated from it and then a photo appeared; like monitored on a seemingly invisible screen. This, in itself, was impressive. But the photograph was something else:  
It showed a perfect rainbow, shining through a drop of rain, enveloped in golden light. 

Chris was mesmerized.  
"Wow! This is crazy! It almost doesn't look real!"

"I took it this morning. While I was looking out the window."  
His expression was soothing, affectionate... 

"You took that?!"  
He repeated, incredulous.

"Yes. I can process thousands of frames by second. I can capture such events with relative ease." 

"That's insane!"  
Still enamored with the picture, Chris didn't notice he had taken a hold of Wesker's hand; trying to peer closer into the projection.  
The android didn't try to get away. 

"I have another one..."  
He said quietly, not taking his eyes off the captain. 

"Yeah?" 

Another image popped up in its place:  
A beautiful scarab; glistening with emerald colors. Sunlight sifting through its transparent wings. 

The images were of such quality, it was hard to believe they were taken from behind a wall of glass. 

"That's beautiful..."  
Words weren't quite enough to express how he felt about the imagery. They shared a moment of silence as Chris anatomized the photo, taking apart every single details; burning it in his mind. Still he held Albert's hand, gently; almost like he was scared to break it. 

"Chris?"

"Hm?"  
His eyes jolted up as he snapped back to reality. 

For the second time, their eyes met properly and lingered there for a while... 

"My hand..."  
He pointed out, almost whispering.

Chris finally noticed and immediately let go, pulling away; embarrassed.  
"Oh! Uh... I- I'm sorry!"  
He cleared his throat. 

"That's quite alright."  
His voice was still low.  
"If you'd like we could print these photos... Maybe decorate the walls with them..."  
For a second he almost seemed to blush.  
"Just a thought..."

"Yeah! Hell yeah! That's a great idea!"  
Chris was eager to return things to normal.  
"You have a real talent! These photos are majestic, I bet people would be to see them in a museum."

"You flatter me, it isn't so much as a talent as it is a function."

"It might be part of your program or whatever, but no one asked you to take these shots right? Isn't it a talent? That you could recognize their beauty by yourself?"

"By... myself..."  
He repeated. 

Christopher offered a silent smile. 

"Thank you."  
Another shining smile graced his lips.

"In any event! I'll call the others, let them know we're meeting up tonight."  
He gulped down the remaining of his coffee. 

"Will miss Valentine attend?"

Chris remained silent for an instant, his expression cryptic. Wesker's program failed in understanding it.   
"Jill? Why do you ask?"  
He interrogated, seemingly suspicious.

"I remember she seemed rather upset last time I saw her. And she was absent yesterday."  
He answered earnestly.   
"I'm sorry, I only meant to inquire about her well-being." 

Chris lowered his guard. He was always very protective of his partner.   
"She's okay. She just needed a bit of time to get over what we saw on that crime scene. She's... sensitive... when it come to kids." 

Something in Albert's programming prompted him to drop the conversation.   
"I understand."   
He terminated the subject.   
"Will Leon attend?"

"I'll invite everyone, hopefully they can all make it."   
Chris summarized. 

"I look forward to it."  
The android tried to smile. 

\--

They spent the day in each other's company, lounging around, watching TV. At more than one occasion; Albert confused himself, overthinking mundane things; Chris had to convince him superheroes didn't exist and that there was, in fact, no dinosaur park, among other things.

The others had confirmed their attendance, everyone was to meet at a new bar; opening downtown, later that night. Leon knew the owner and was able to secure a table for the group. There was a slight problem however, while Chris's clothe were suitable for Wesker inside their home, they were noticeably unfit for a night out. And they couldn't very well dress him in his uniform. 

"I still have the clothes given to me by Umbrella."  
The android pointed out.

"You mean those futuristic looking rags?"  
The captain huffed. 

Wesker tilted his head, puzzled. 

"No offense but I can't have you wear that in public."  
He was dead serious. 

"They were designed to-"

"Albert... We talked about it... I don't care if your clothes or your sunglasses were "designed" to yadi-yadi-"  
He mimicked talking with his hand.   
"-see in the dark- blah blah blah."  
Obviously he wasn't interested in hearing about it.   
"We're going out with friends, we need you to look casual... chic...You know!"   
His words were finite. 

"I see."

"Thing is, I don't have a thing for you to wear. So... We're going shopping." 

"Shopping?"  
He repeated. 

"Yeah, we're going to buy you something to wear." 

"But-"

"Ass in the car, now."  
He was tired of discussing it.

"Yes sir."

They left immediately after. 

\--

They still had a few hours to kill before they had to meet the others but... This was taking considerably more time than Chris had anticipated.   
Albert had taken the captain's words to heart and kept on searching for something he could; casual chic. In the mean time he wore Christopher's clothes; a bit to big for him... 

"Can't you hurry it up a little?"  
Chris whined.   
"We have to swing back by the apartment before we go. I wanna take a shower."

The robot stayed of marble, focused on the task ahead.   
"Please captain, I must concentrate.  
He hushed.

He was taking this whole thing surprisingly seriously. 

They walked past a luxurious boutique for men; The type that sells hand-tailored garment. And Wesker stopped dead in his tracks, looking inside from behind the huge windows. 

"Um-"  
Chris hesitated.   
"Albert, I don't have that kind of money."  
He admitted, trying to make him understand that shopping there was out of the question. 

The AI didn't budge, not turning to look at him as he answered.   
"Fear not captain, you won't have to spend a single dollar. Umbrella has procured me funds; to spend as I see fit."  
He finally turned.   
"Given the situation, I think they would agree that it is necessary for me to blend into tonight's crowd. This will prove most educative." 

"Right..."  
Chris remained silent, but that all just sounded like a intricate excuse to buy fancy clothes. 

They passed the doors; instantly greeted by one of the employees. 

"Gentlemen, how may I help you today?"

"I am looking for a new set of clothes. I want something chic, but fairly casual." 

"Certainly!"

Christopher wasn't sure if the clerk really had picked up on that, or if he just pretended to understand to flatter his client. 

"May I ask how much money you're ready to spend for this outfit?"

Albert took a moment to calculate.  
"Around a thousand dollars? I want something fairly casual after all."

"Of course!"  
The man agreed. 

Meanwhile, Chris's jaw dropped at the sole mention. He grabbed Wesker by the arm, pulling him in closer and whispered.  
"Are you kidding me? You are NOT spending that much money on-"

"Is everything okay?"  
The vendor inquired, noticing Albert wasn't following him further in. 

The robot whispered calmly back to Chris.  
"Don't worry captain, I can afford it."   
It was pointless to argue in the face of such naivety. It was obvious right then, that Wesker didn't really understand the worth of hard won money. He turned back to face the salesman.   
"Of course."  
And, freeing himself from Chris's grip, followed him into the shop. 

Christopher followed silently, feeling as though he didn't belong. 

"We have a wide range of selection-"  
The sales pitch went on but Chris wasn't paying attention. 

"I think I'd like to avoid colors all together. Black will suit me just fine."

"A classic."  
The clerk acquiesced.

"Nose a little brown?"  
Chris whispered under his breath. 

"Chris."

"Um?"

"I'll be back in just a few moments."

"Yeah, yeah."

The android disappeared behind a curtain to try on the selected outfit.   
Meanwhile, the policeman just browsed aimlessly; knowing full-well he'd never spent that much money on clothes. Though, he had to admit it, the tissues were of the highest quality...  
A few minutes went by in a flash. 

"What do you think?"  
A familiar voice interrogated. 

Albert stood there, dressed in all black; luxurious tissues; kissing, hugging, every curves with sultry perfection. His pale white skin, in contrast to the almost perfect black of his shirt was almost indecent. His long legs were beautifully complimented by an equally dark pair of pants; The way it hugged his waist was nearly erotic.   
Beautiful pointed-toe shoes dressed his feet.  
An expensive looking watch decorated his wrist; Delicate silver, that matches his eyes. 

Chris remained speechless, he looked... stunning. 

"Is it perhaps not appropriate?"  
His silence had rendered the android uncertain. 

"No, no... It's... You look great."  
He was still dazed. 

Albert's expression became soft, he smiled subtly.

The salesman was standing just a few feet away, witnessing the exchange.   
"Will you be purchasing the set?"  
He asked politely, seemingly modest, like careful not to interrupt something. 

"I-"  
Wesker snapped back to reality, finally taking his eyes from Chris.  
"Yes! Thank you."

"It is my pleasure, sir. I'm glad we were able to find something that appeals to the both of you."  
He referred to Chris. 

In the moment the captain didn't quite understood why it was important if he liked it or not.  
Wesker was allowed to keep the clothes as he was proceeding with payment, saving him the trouble of changing in and out of it. 

"Thank you!"  
The man sent them off enthusiastically.  
"We hope to see you gentlemen again."   
He offered a small bow. 

"Thank you."  
They spoke in unison before leaving. 

\--

They were able to swing by the apartment, Chris took a shower and, in turn, dressed himself;   
He adorned a navy-blue t-shirt; which hugged his chest nicely, showing off his muscles. He had a pair of black jeans, suitably chic but comfortable. A necklace dangled from his neck; a ring of oak; a very manly accessory. To crown the look he threw on a black jacket, the neck was high, highlighting his jaw.   
He stepped out of this bedroom, falling face to face with Albert, whom waited for him by the door. 

"You know... You don't have to follow me around like a poodle."  
He laughed.

Wesker didn't understand and the captain dropped the joke entirely. They were about to leave when the android delayed them once more.

"A moment captain."

"What is it-"  
He was hit with a hint of cologne.   
"Did you just spray cologne on me?"

"Yes. I bought it earlier, I thought it was appropriate. You look very casual-chic captain."  
He attempted to compliment him. 

"Thanks... I think."  
He let out a short laugh but then realized something.   
"Did you use that perfume on you too?"

"Correct."

Now they smelled the same... Not that there was anything wrong with that. It was just... Well, people might mistake that for... No matter.   
"Let's go."  
He decided to keep it to himself, perfectly aware Wesker wouldn't pick up the implications anyway. 

\--

They drove a short distance in the night, Albert seemed mesmerized, it was his first night out.   
They parked and met with the others in the parking lot.

Jill whistled.   
"Look at you!"  
She laughed, pulling the captain in for a hug. 

"Hey you."  
He hugged her back.  
"Looking good."

She smiled.  
She was dressed in a nice, pure-white, blouse; flowing nicely with the breeze. Tight jeans hugged her legs, she stood higher than usual on a pair of heels. 

Leon approached, looking genuinely impressed.   
"Well, well, well!"  
He passed an arm around Wesker.  
"Look at this heart breaker."

"I do not-"

"It's a saying Albert."  
Leon clarified before the android could argue.   
The officer rocked a black leather jacket, some blue jeans and a pair of dress-shoes.

"Ah."

They all exchanged greetings:  
Barry was dressed like a total dad. A withe t-shirt under a woodcutter's shirt, simple jeans and a pair of boots.   
Piers was dressed in an elegant khaki-green shirt, a simple uni-color t-shirt underneath, his favorite scarf around the neck.   
And Rebecca wore a delightful, flower-patterned, dress with pastel colors; a pair of white flats around her delicate feet. 

"Let's get in there already!"  
Barry prompted, letting out a thundering laugh. 

\--

Inside, everything was dimly lit but colorful; neons set the atmosphere, the music was vibrant and the people; eager. The dance floor was already packed and the bar was well crowded.   
They found their table; situated on the second floor. From there, they could see the whole place.   
It was a club much more than it was a bar and evidently, it wasn't what Albert expected. As they paced through the establishment he had grabbed a hold of Chris's sleeve and continuously hanged onto it, even after they had sat down. 

"You okay?"  
Chris raised his voice so the robot could hear him. 

"Y-Yes."  
His eyes were low, in truth, he was overwhelmed. There was so much here to analyze... 

"Don't think too much about it, it's going to be fun!"

The android nodded. 

They spent a while talking and laughing, straining their voices, sending a different person to the bar each time. Wesker was relatively silent through it all, still scotched to his captain. Rebecca noticed. 

"How are you feeling?"  
She leaned closer so she wouldn't have to shout. 

"I- I am okay."  
He assured. 

"This place is a little overwhelming isn't it?"

The robot met her eyes. 

"I understand, I'm not really into this kind of place either."  
She offered a reassuring smile.  
"But the others seem to like it and I never pass on an opportunity to meet my friends outside of work."   
She explained. 

Having someone to identify with helped to put his agitated mind at ease. 

The others were getting slightly intoxicated. 

"Hey!"  
Barry shouted, trying to get the AI's attention.  
"Why don't you swing by the bar? Stretch your legs a little!"

"Of course, I'll bring drinks."  
Being relied upon, that's something he was used to. 

"Want me to come with you?"  
Rebecca offered.

"I believe I will be fine."  
A weird kind of pride wanted that he was able to complete such a simple task.   
"I will be back shortly."  
He took off. 

As soon as he was gone Piers placed a word.   
"Sure he'll be fine?"

"Of course!"  
Barry didn't seem worried. 

"We can see the whole club from here, if he doesn't come back in a few minutes I'll spot him in the crowd."  
Chris assured. 

They continued to laugh and drink and surely enough... Ten minutes later, Wesker was still gone. 

"Now might be the time to look for him?"  
Leon proposed. 

And so Chris got on his feet, walking as steadily as he could towards the big walls of glass. There was the dance floor; as agitated as ever, the bar... But Albert didn't appear immediately. After a few seconds though, Christopher was able to spot him, further down the counter, where a man stood with him; evidently making conversation. 

Chris frowned. 

The man was unseemly close, it almost seemed as though he was whispering in the android's hear.   
Albert stood there almost immobile, clearly oblivious to his predicament.   
His interlocutor leaned in closer still and one of his hand went to caress Wesker's back, lingering just above his ass.   
At that moment, the captain felt a sting. 

"Everything okay Chris?"  
Jill instantly noticed the way her partner grew agitated.  
"Did you find him?" 

Before he could think he was already moving: Pacing rapidly through the crowd; pushing people out of his way, stomping down the stairs, and towards the bar...


	7. Just a Machine?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night ends on a dry note, but Chris and Albert get a chance to clarify some things before they put an end to it...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter luvs! Had a lot of fun with that one, their personality and feelings for each other is really starting to come together and show! I can't wait to read your thoughts about this one, and I'll see you really soon for more! <3

Wesker stood by the bar, emerging from the crowd; any attempt to grab the bartender's attention failed miserably. He was either interrupted or unsuccessful in his attempts at being noticed altogether. He waited around several minutes, continuously striving to accomplish the task he had been entrusted with; Bringing back alcoholic beverages.   
The mob was in constant movement; people constantly bumped into him, pushed him around and shouted at him to move above the grounding music. All of them were inebriated, rendered ill-mannered after loosing all self-awareness. The android instinctively scanned his environment, trying to determinate the best course of action but, the constant interruptions were making it difficult for him to run his programs; There were so many faces to scan, so many data. Many of the attendees had criminal records; Felony, theft, domestic abuse, narcotics, illegal gambling... You name it.  
It became increasingly difficult to select a correct demeanor; He was made to interact with humans depending on their social status. The rich, the poor, the average civilian, the alleged criminals or civilians with criminal records... There was too many variants. 

The barman passed him by, another missed opportunity. 

Wesker's fists clenched. His protocols were a mess, and couldn't successfully ascertain behavioral guidance.   
There were moving lights all around, a constant hubbub, unpredicted physical contacts from every direction. And there he was... left without clear management.  
He grew more and more agitated by the second... All these unknown components triggered errors in his software. 

The barkeep was within reach again, Albert reacted a few seconds too late and failed to grab his attention.  
The man next to him raised his voice, snapping his fingers. 

"Barman!"

The employee noticed him. 

"What can I get you?"  
His dreadlocks swayed as he leaned closer to the other costumer. 

They talked above the booming music. 

"This gentleman has been waiting for quite a while."  
He designated the android. A smirk on his lips he guided Albert closer to the counter and next to him. 

"Sorry about that!"  
The employee apologized.  
"Things are getting a little crazy tonight."  
He joked, his plump lips smiling.  
"What can I get you?"  
He repeated.

The AI was finally able to relay his order. 

"I'll get on that."  
The staff assured.   
Before leaving again for the other end of the bar. 

"Thank you for your assistance."  
The robot was able to offer his gratitude, his stress level was finally decreasing. 

The patron laughed, leaning on the counter.  
"You don't often come to place like this do you?"  
He guessed, a lock of his graying hair falling to his forehead. 

He was a fashionable individual; A black jacket overlapping a white shirt; twice unbuttoned, a pair of elegant jeans hugging his curves, a black leather belt as ornament.  
His visage was dignified; a grey beard, well kept. A very clean undercut, freshly made undoubtedly. A few wrinkles around his eyes betrayed his age; he was approximately fifty years old. Or so the AI established.   
The man acted, moved, with attuned swagger. 

"Correct."  
Albert confirmed.   
His featured remained undecipherable, maintaining neutral display until his CPU could determine an appropriate attitude. 

The man didn't instantly respond, doubtlessly surprised with the robot's choice of words. But he soon dismissed it, a smile in the corner of his mouth.   
He reached for an handshake.  
"The name's Andre." 

Wesker grabbed the hand extended to him.  
"I am Albert."  
He choose the more friendly approach, concealing his true nature for now and squeezed. 

"Oof!"  
The guy laughed shaking his, now freed, hand.   
"That's some strength you have there." 

It seemed he had ill-dozed the amount of force he should have applied.  
"Apologies..."  
He pondered his options; he could either tell the truth or make up a believable, more 'human', lie.  
"I'm nervous."  
He chose to lie... Well, it wasn't exactly false. 

Andre's green eyes practically devoured the android by now; a strange hunger in them; Wesker could not identify it.  
"There's no need to be nervous."  
He spoke rather softly, or as much as he could, given the noise.   
"So tell me Albert, you've ordered quite a bit to drink. Are you here with someone?"

"Yes. I am here with my colleagues." 

"Your colleagues! And what is it that you do for a living?"

"I'm a police officer."   
He answered earnestly, leaving the part about him being an android; out of his statement. 

The man seemed impressed, nodding a few times.   
"Now that's a respectable profession. I've got to say, I didn't expect to meet an officer here tonight." 

"Why-ever not?"

"Oh! Not that there's anything wrong with that! It's a pleasant surprise."  
He winked. 

Albert didn't pick up on it. 

"And what do you do for a living, mister Andre?"

The man swallowed a lick of brandy; on rocks. And laughed briefly.   
"Please, just Andre is fine."   
He put down his glass.  
"I run a small business, I trade in antiques, vintage, that kind of thing."

Albert already knew, after scanning him, that he was involved in a traffic of stolen antiques, dealing drugs on the side. He had asked out of politeness.

"Impressive."  
He complimented with a smile; Opting for a friendly approach. His programs suggested that was the best way to win his trust, leading, perhaps, to an eventual arrest. He was a robot detective after all. He never really stopped working. 

"Maybe I can show you my collection sometime."  
He suggested, hinting at a possible visit. 

Wesker was able to focus now, and a pattern clearly formed. This man was attempting to charm him, obviously; he enjoyed playing with fire. Inviting a cop to your housing to peruse a collection of illegally assembled goods seemed pretty daring after all. The android saw an opportunity; by adjusting his algorithms, he was confident he could successfully emulate seduction.  
The process took a few seconds, by the time he came to; Andre's hand was lingering just above his posterior. 

"Seems it might take a while before the staff get around to your order. Can I buy you a drink?" 

Albert attempted an alluring smile, accepting gracefully, allowing the other man to continue touching him.  
If this went well, he might have a chance to dismantle a fairly vast network of contraband.   
"I'd love to."

They were both handed glasses of whiskey, they cheered and drank.   
Wesker took this opportunity to analyze the liquid's contents. While he didn't appreciate the taste, he found the molecular structure to be most fascinating. 

"There's something different about you Albert. I've never met anyone quite like you."  
He spoke close to his hear.   
"Tell me, why don't you join me tonight? I can show you a few things-"   
His ramblings were interrupted when he was pulled away from his interlocutor. A strong arm came between he and Albert. 

"Captain."  
The android was immediately more at ease, suddenly remembering he wasn't supposed to be working right now. And that he was needlessly engaging with this man. 

"Back off pal."   
Chris's tone was cold, harsh even. 

The other man hid his surprise, collecting himself.   
"Captain? Ah yes, this must be one of your colleagues."   
He concealed his uneasiness, it was obvious Chris made him nervous. 

"Yeah, that's right."  
The captain towered above the man, putting Wesker behind him, keeping the android close. 

"I- I can see I am somewhat intruding."  
He swallowed with difficulty.   
"Here."  
He took out a business card, handing it to the man behind Christopher.   
"I hope we can meet again."  
He cleared his throat, offered a small nod to both men and took his leave. 

"Captain-"  
The AI tried to speak. 

"What did that guy want, uh?"  
He interrupted, still keeping an eye on him until he disappeared into the crowd. 

"He approached me at the bar, I determined he was involved in something of a criminal network and thought-"

"Wait, wait, wait. How did you know that?"  
He interrupted again. 

"I scanned him."

"Uh... Right. Anyway, we aren't on the job right now."  
He scolded. 

"I am well aware but-"

"We sent you to get drinks, not to speak with strangers."  
He seemed irritated.  
"Besides-"  
He shook his head.  
"If you thought he was dangerous why did you let him paw you like that?"

"Paw me?"  
The android repeated, confused. 

"He had his hands all over you."  
Chris accused. 

"I- Captain, I understand we're not technically in service but... I had determined the best approach to win his trust, and I thought-"

"So what? You were just going to whore yourself out?"  
He snarled; raising his voice, frowning severely. 

Wesker's eyes became wider, he couldn't answer. 

Chris's blinked forcibly and sighed.  
"Sorry... I- I didn't..."  
He sighed again. 

"Your order sir!"  
The barman was back, handing him the drinks on a metal tray. 

"I thank you."  
The robot reacted swiftly, dismissing the employee. He grabbed the tray and looked up at his captain with hesitation, his head cast low. 

"Let's just go back to the table..."  
Chris frayed a path for the both of them, not hesitating to push people out of the way. 

"Albert! You okay my man?"  
Leon inquired, happy to see the both of them coming back to the table. 

It was quieter there, the music was slightly muffled by the walls of glass surrounding the upper-floor. 

"I am well, I apologize for the wait."  
He put down the drinks. 

Jill greeted her partner back. 

"Did you become lost?"  
Rebecca asked, concerned from the android. 

"No, I simply had an hard time capturing the bartender's attention and then a man came to talk to me..."  
He looked at Chris, with guilt. Immediately casting his eyes down on the table.

There was a weird awkwardness between the two of them after that. The group continued to drink but Chris all but ignored Albert and the latter was bent on trying to meet his eyes. Hoping desperately to meet his gaze. The android ignored everything else that was going on around him, Chris became his sole focus.   
He felt alarmed, he didn't understand the captain's animosity and sought to understand what might have done wrong...   
The night ended on a low note. 

The guys exchanged goodbyes in the parking lot and Chris and Albert stepped into the car. 

"Captain..."

"What is it?"  
He sighed, starting the engine.  
"And I already told you to call me Chris when we're off the clock." 

"Of course... I'm sorry."   
He was silent for a moment, the car still wasn't in movement.   
"Chris?"

"Yes?"

"You've had quite a bit to drink... Perhaps I should drive."   
He offered, concerned for his superior's safety. 

"You? Can drive?"

"Absolutely."  
He chose to emphasize his ability to put Christopher's doubt at rest. Increasing his chances to be put behind the wheels. 

"Fuck it. Alright... You drive."

They switched seats. 

Albert checked every mirror, adjusted his seat and the driver's wheel, asserted his captain had put his seat belt on and started the vehicle once more. Driving off into the night. 

\--

Chris had fell asleep in the car, he was still slumbering by the time the android pulled into the driveway.   
A gentle hand came to shake the captain awake. 

"Chris. Chris?"

He awoke. 

"Um?"  
He was groggy. 

"We've arrived." 

They stepped out, Chris was obviously drunk. He had drank quite heavily after coming back with the AI. His steps were unsteady and he paced fairly slowly. 

"Here. Please, lean on me."  
The robot escorted the captain to the door, hauling him through the complex and into the apartment. 

"I'm fine."  
Chris tried to shake him off. 

"You are not."   
Albert argued.   
"You are inebriated and exhausted. Let me help you."  
He demanded. 

Christopher didn't have the energy to argue. He kicked off his shoes and let the AI help him through the corridor and into his bedroom. He crashed on the bed as soon as he came in; Aiming to sleep.

"Chris, you must take off your clothes."   
He tried to make him see reason. 

The android found the captain unresponsive. He was asleep already.   
Wesker pulled Chris further into the bed, putting his head down on the pillows. Without turning the lights on, he rid the other man of his clothes, starting with his jacket:  
He took the necklace putting it away safely on the night table. Moving closer he put himself on top of him, easier that way. His cold fingers brushed against the skin on his chest as he removed the captain's shirt; folding it before putting it aside.   
Chris was tired and he wasn't in control anymore. Ever since Albert had moved in he hadn't had a single moment alone where he could relax. To put it bluntly; frustration had been building up.   
Wesker's lithe fingers came down to his belt; unbuckling it. Chris wake up at that moment; swiftly grabbing a hold of the android's wrist. 

"Woah, hold on, what the hell are you doing?"  
The realization seemed to sober him up. He sat up. 

"I'm taking off you clothes."  
He responded naively. 

"Yeah, I can see that."  
Aware of himself he tried conceal the growing discomfort inside his pants. Pushing Albert back gently.   
"I-It's fine, you don't need to help me."  
He tried to convince the robot.   
"I'm awake now." 

Albert's silvery eyes shone in the dark, a sad glitter inside them. He seemed... hurt?   
"I- I don't know what I did to upset you tonight..."  
The night had been eventful and his algorithms were in shambles. It made him appear distressed, his stress level was on the rise...   
"I- I just want to help!"  
He tried to justify. 

Christopher felt the sting of guilt. He didn't mean to be distant or angry... It's just... He was beginning to feel a change in the way he saw Wesker. Tonight's burst of jealousy had taken him down a dangerous path. And now they found themselves in an even more complex situation:   
"Albert... Listen, I'm sorry."  
He started with an apology.   
"You didn't do anything wrong... I just... I was a little drunk and I lost my temper."  
He made up a very meek excuse. 

"I won't talk to strangers anymore unless you tell me to."  
The robot tried to reassure him. 

"What? No, no! It wasn't-"  
He sighed.   
"It's not that..."

The AI took a moment to consider...  
"Was it because I let him touch me?"  
He made an educated guess. 

Chris refused to meet his eyes, looking away. 

The room basked in moonlight, the window; left ajar, let a cool wind push the curtains in a smooth dance.

"I-"  
He was interrupted. 

"It was part of your programming right? You could have seduced him if you wanted? Get close, as a way of getting information."

"That's correct."  
He affirmed, a little eager to justify earlier's behavior. 

"So you can emulate any kind of human emotions, is that it?" 

"Yes! Though I'm told I can come off a little stiff at time!"  
He tried to boast.

But Chris wasn't in the mood for another sales pitch.  
"So if, on Monday, I'd tell you to call back that guy and go through with the plan... You'd do it." 

"Yes."

"Even if you had to sleep with him?"  
His blue eyes darted up. Looking directly into Albert's synthetic irises. 

The android didn't answer immediately, his eyes lowered when he answered:.   
"...Of course..."

There was a tense silence. 

"Just like that?"  
Chris didn't look away.

"If it was required of me in order to frame a suspect..."   
The scrutiny was becoming harder to handle, he began to blink uncontrollably. 

Chris nodded silently, his lower lips pulling upwards in an unimpressed fashion.   
"And it wouldn't bother you?" 

Again... The question was difficult to answer... But finally he blurted out an answer.   
"...I'm only machine-" 

Chris snapped, grabbing the android in his arms; pulling him against his chest, straddling him on his lap. 

The robot blinked in surprise but didn't let out a sound. 

"Just a machine, uh? Then you have to listen everything I say? Obey every orders I give?" 

Something akin to fear sparkled in the android's eyes. 

"...Yes.." 

Chris sighed heavily, a sad frown painting itself on his visage. He lessened his hold over the AI, putting his forehead on the robot's chest.   
"Dammit..."  
He whispered.

"Captain?"   
He whispered back. 

Christopher upheld his head, staring at the machine with a miserable shine in his eyes.   
"I wish you'd cherished yourself a little more..."  
His strong arms tightened once more, gently this time, as he held the android in a tight embrace. 

The fear, the anxiety, subsided, and the machine melted into the hug; Returning it in earnest. His fingers brushed in Chris's hair, he could feel his hot breath against his neck. They stayed like this for a while, in silence... 

"I'm sorry..."  
Chris apologized again.   
"-I'm not always easy to deal with."  
They were still pinned against one another. 

"I don't mind."  
He replied in a tender, soft, voice. Kept low for fear of breaking the silence. 

The captain pulled away slowly.   
"You should go back to your room for tonight."  
He smiled sadly. 

"Oh... Of course."  
The android exited the man's lap, getting out of bed. He stayed by the bedside hesitantly for a second before taking a step away. 

"Albert."  
A hand captured his and the android turned around.   
"I'll see you tomorrow morning."  
He reassured. 

"Yes."  
A comforted smile pulled his lips. 

"Goodnight..."  
Chris let go of his hand. 

"Goodnight Chris..."   
And he left the room, rejoining the window side.


	8. Behind The Lens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chris and Albert enjoy a day out, wanting to get to know each other better. It doesn't take a lot of time before Chris come to term with the undeniable truth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey luvs, I am so sorry it took me so long to update! I know some of you were getting impatient and I hope interest for this fic hasn't died out :s I was just feeling very depressed and couldn't, for the life of me, write anything good. I think I'm getting back into it tho! Let me know what you think about the new chapter, hopefully it was worth the wait~

The sun moved behind the curtains, climbing the clouds. Rays of honey-colored light splintered inside Chris's room; pushing away the gloom. The warmth caressed his visage, pulling him out of a pleasant dream.  
The captain shifted inside the sheets, feeling the soft fabric roll over his shoulders. A soft whimper escaped his lips as his eyelashes flustered, warning off the sun for a spell of privacy.  
Finally awake, his gaze traveled the room: White curtains were pushed in a slow dance by a gentle breeze. Shadows swayed playfully in response. Next to the bed, the clothes he wore the night before rested on the nightstand. Remembering Wesker's touch on his chest tickled him; like a lingering sensation. A smile curled his lips.  
The man tilted his head to take a look at the clock, hidden behind the carefully folded pile of clothes. It was a late morning.  
Dragging himself out of bed, Chris wondered why the android had allowed him to sleep undisturbed. He had gotten used to Albert's early schedule and had a hard time believing the robot wasn't getting impatient by now.  
He opened the door to his room and stepped out into the corridor, it was quiet... Too quiet. It was almost midday, normally, Wesker would have been up and about. Worry overtook the captain. 

"Albert?"  
He called out. 

Nothing. 

Pacing alongside the wall, he stopped in front of the guest's room. The door was closed. Albert only ever closed the door at night. 

"Albert?"  
He called again, a hand over the handle. 

The silence was preoccupying. Without much of a thought, Chris pushed open the door, popping his head into the room.  
Light protruded the window, the flower bed hanging from its sill was caught in a gentle breeze. The tulips twirled at its leisure.  
Next to it, was an empty chair. Wesker didn't rest at his usual spot... Instead, the sheets of the bed hugged his slim figure. The sun warmed his back, a rebellious lock of hair had fallen to his forehead. His eyes were closed in a peaceful expression, the pillows cradled side of his head. Soft sighs escaped his pale lips with every new breaths. Crimson linens rested beneath his naked shoulders; sneaking a peak at his immaculate white skin. 

The sight stole Chris's breath. By the time he regained his sense, a blush had painted his cheeks. Moving slowly to the side of the bed, he sat on the edge. 

Albert's held in his arm one of the many pillows, cozying up to it as you do your lover's chest.  
He showed no signs of waking up. 

Christopher moved in closer, another soft sigh escape Wesker's lips; Pale, rosy, almost fading into his perfect complexion. Thin, but plump... such kissable lips.  
Chris's thumb traced around them before his fingers moved to replace the silky strand of hair. Here he laid like a work of art.  
The captain contemplated whether or not he should wake the other man. Suddenly remembering this was the AI first weekend, he felt obligated to pull him out of bed. Besides, he had something in mind for today.  
A gentle hand came to rest over Albert's shoulder, a light squeeze and a frail caress was all it took.  
His blond eyelashes flustered open.

"Chris..?"  
His voice was weak, he only succeeded in opening one eye.

"Good morning, sleepyhead."  
A smile graced his lips. 

"Chris!"  
All of sudden he was awake. He let go of the pillow and pulled himself up, sitting on his side.  
The bed sheets slid off of him as he tried to come up with an explanation. 

"Could it be that I fell asleep?"  
An incredulous look widened his diamond eyes. 

"Sure looks like it."  
He chuckled. 

The machine brought a hand to his lips, covering them partially in a pensive fashion.  
"Why, I didn't know it was possible. Perhaps I underwent some type of maintenance?"  
He hypothesized, whisper to himself.  
"Oh!"  
He snapped out of it.  
"Did you come to wake me up? What time is it? Are we late on today's schedule-?"

Chris's finger went to shush him. And he shook his head slowly, smiling with a raised brow. 

Wesker cleared his throat.  
"Right... One thing at a time."  
His pale grey eyes darted up as he kept his head low. Christopher's hand moved to his cheek and caressed it gently. The android melted into the sweet gesture.  
"Good morning."  
He finally said, shyness in his voice; Or something akin to it anyway. 

"Good morning."

They spent a moment in silence, enjoying the closeness.  
Albert had cozied up to the hand extended to him, leaning into it for more warmth. With his eyes closed he reveled in the unfamiliar sensation. 

"Albert, listen."  
Chris reclaimed his hand, sparing a last caress as it parted.  
"I wanted to apologize again for my behavior yesterday."

"Please do not-"

"Let me finish."  
He faced him properly.  
"I want to learn more about you..."  
He seemed a bit hesitant, a blush still lingered over his cheeks; worsening.  
"For various reasons."  
He cleared his throat and made a face.  
"And maybe you want to learn more about me?"  
He scratched the back of his neck. 

"Yes."  
The AI answered without hesitation.  
Taking the man aback. 

"Great!"  
He lowered his voice after raising it.  
"Great..."  
He adverted his eyes, feeling silly. 

"How do we get to know each other better?"  
He questioned, naive. 

"Well for starters, let's get out of here."  
He chuckled, eyeing Albert's naked chest as he lowered his eyes. He noticed something, tattooed over Wesker's right pectoral: A barcode. Reminding him one again that Albert wasn't human... But that didn't matter anymore.  
"I thought you might want to visit the city, maybe grab a bite."  
He decided to ignore it. 

"I think I'd like that."  
Another smile. It was becoming more and more sincere as time went on, more natural. 

"Great, then I'll let you get dressed."  
Still adorning a furious blush, Chris stepped out of the room.

\-- 

Albert came out of his room a few minutes later, fully dressed; Just like the night before. After all, he had spent enough money on that outfit to justify wearing it everyday for at least a thousand years! Or so Chris thought, still appalled by the taste of luxury. Though... It was true that the fabric was of the highest quality. Such caliber was matched only by the man wearing it. 

Chris had donned a simple white shirt and a pair of blue jeans. He felt it was right for the occasion, only... Now he paled in comparison to his entourage.

"You look great captain."  
Wesker complimented before Chris could speak first. 

"T-Thanks! You look..."  
He pondered his options. Wanting to one-up him.  
"Stunning."  
He smirked proudly. 

"I thank you."  
If he had been capable to blush, surely his cheeks would have adorned the softest pink. 

"So, tell me, is there anywhere in particular you'd like to go?"  
They had the whole day and limitless options. 

The android remained silent, sifting through his files for an interesting idea. 

"I would like to visit the zoo."  
He smiled naively, his gaze lost into space; Staring at files Chris couldn't see. 

"Off to the zoo then."  
His whole face lit up at the idea. 

He was still very young the last time he visited the zoo. One of the scarce memories he had of his parents in fact... This promised to be nostalgic in the best possible way. 

\--

In the car, Wesker looked out the window, he had never been to this part of the city. It was Saturday and the streets were paved with people; going about their day. It was at least 30 minutes before they'd get to the zoo, yet, a knot had already started to form in Chris's stomach. He was getting nervous... And, normally, the AI might have picked up on that, only; Right now he was in awe of the ordinary. 

"Are you hungry?"  
Chris forgot himself a moment there. 

Albert turned around, tilting his head in confusion.  
"I'm never hungry."  
He reminded. 

"Oh... Right. Dumb question."  
He let his hand raise and fall back, hitting the stirring wheel. 

A chuckle escaped his company.  
"Are you?"

"Not quite yet."  
He answered, still embarrassed. 

On the radio played a catching tune.  
After a minute or two spent in silence, Albert shifted in his seat. Something seemed to be bothering him. 

"What's on your mind?"  
His own nervousness doubled. 

"Chris... Will there be-"  
He stopped himself.

"Go on."  
He encouraged. 

"It might be a silly question."  
He warned. 

"I promise I won't laugh."

"Will there be dinosaurs?"  
His face was dead serious. 

Christopher had to bite the inside of his cheeks to repress a smile, a laughed tickled his throat and he coughed. 

"No. Sorry."  
He apologized briefly, fearing he might loose face. 

"I see."  
A dejected puppy look flashed across the android's visage. 

Another series of cough concealed hiccups of laughter. 

"Are you perhaps sick?"  
Albert's head titled on the right once again. 

"Ah, no. It's nothing."  
He reassured, finally breaking into a smile. 

"Then tell me Chris. What animal do you look forward to see?"

"I guess the Lions?" 

"I want to see giraffes." 

The things he said, matched with this childish innocence, would never fit his voice. Chris swore. 

\--

As soon as they arrived and stepped out of the car, Chris was hit with waves of nostalgia. As mundane as it may have seemed, this promised to be a field trip heavy with emotions.  
They went to procure tickets and started their tour immediately after.  
The AI was in awe, visage struck with childlike wonder. His enthusiasm didn't go unnoticed, some people gave him dirty looks, but it did Chris's heart good to see that Albert failed to notice them entirely.  
He spent the day looking left and right, never leaving Christopher's side, offering a myriad of trivia on every animals they encountered. Not only was it endearing, it was highly educative.  
At some point during the trip, a child had ran into the android in his hurried state; falling to the ground on his butt. Looking up to the imposing figure caused it to cry and for a moment the little boy's parents were nowhere to be seen. 

"Ah. My apologies."  
Wesker had barely felt the collision. He bent knee, lowering himself to greet the kid.  
"Are you alright?"  
His gentle voice served to put the little one at ease. He stopped crying, curiosity piqued.  
"I see you are in the midst of an adventure-"  
He started.  
"Do you travel alone?"  
He continued to play pretend. 

Suddenly the kid looked around and noticed his parents weren't by his side. His lower lips started to shiver once again, his eyes started to well. Before he could break out crying again, Albert spoke once more.  
"Are you perhaps lost?"  
The boy nodded.  
"Ah well, it happens to every great adventurers."  
The continued game earned him a sparkling look.  
"I bet that if you climb on my shoulders, you'll be able to spot your parents in a flash. Care to give it a try?"  
Wesker's face lit up in a completely natural smile. 

The kid was quick to accept in an enthusiast nod. Climbing atop his strong shoulders he towered above everyone else, as promised, he spotted his family with ease; Waving his arms around in a kind of playful S.O.S. Continuing with their theme. Wesker joined in and waved to get their attention.  
A second later, a man and a woman jogged over to their position; Taking their child into their arms in a sigh of relief. 

"Thank you so much!"  
They both offered heartfelt thanks before prompting their son to do the same. 

While the couple talked with Albert a bit, Chris couldn't help a sad smile. The family; a couple, their baby daughter and their young son, reminded him of his own family. Not only that, the way Albert had dealt with the issue was remarkable. Many people wouldn't have been able to handle it as well as he had... And he wasn't even human. Finally they left. Wesker went back to his captain's side. 

"I apologize for the wait."

"Don't. It was good work."  
A gentle hand came to ruffle the android's hair. 

He laughed, offering a smile. 

The rest of the visit went off without a hitch. They were able to greet the giraffes as Albert wanted, as well as the Lions. As their tour neared the end, less and less people could be seen hanging around. The families had left, most of the people left were couples.  
The two man had walked close to each other the entire time, but as it stood, they could be mistaken for simple friends. Chris figured... There wasn't many people around anymore so why not... His hand reached out and weaved their fingers together.  
Albert's hand was just as he remembered; perfectly smooth and a little cold. The tip of his fingers pressed against the robot's knuckles; it felt no different from a human... except more solid.  
Wesker returned the sweet gesture, accepting his hand inside of his. 

"Is it truly okay to display our affection in broad day light?" 

"Why not? Because we're men?"

"That too..."

The response caught Chris off guard... He did not answer. Instead, they continued to walk, hand-in-hand. A few curious onlookers noticed them, but no more than that.  
As the sun began to set and they made their way out, Chris's stomach protested; demanding food!

The cold hand around his squeezed lovingly; gathering his attention. 

"Is there a restaurant you'd like to try? My treat."  
The AI offered. 

Last time he had mentioned Umbrella had given him funds to do as he saw fit, but he had already spent quite a bit of money on his outfit... Just how much money did they procure him? 

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. It would be my pleasure."  
He insisted. 

"Then there's a place I'd like to try." 

They hopped back into the car and drove off.

\--

A 15 minutes drive later they hopped out again. Chris parked his Jeep on a nearby street and they walked along a port that many restaurant's called home; There were busy terraces all around. The one establishment the policeman had in mind was further along the coast. They would have to walk there, not a problem; They were accompanied by the waning light of a gorgeous sunset. Christopher sought to capture Albert's hand once more, but the android beat him to it. They exchanged enamored looks. There were nothing but couples all around, a few families, groups of friends. Some noticed them but, again, nothing came out of it and they were left undisturbed. They were lucky enough to get a table and soon they began to peruse the menu. 

"Anything strikes your fancy?"  
Chris asked. 

"Everything looks really appetizing. You chose well."  
Another compliment. There were an awful lot of them lately. And the android was getting better at delivering them. 

The restaurant offered a variety of sea food, a little pricey, but worth the price. 

"You know, I don't mind paying for the both of us."  
The captain brought it up again. 

"I insist captain. I have more than enough money to offer you this. Please, let me treat you. If you won't accept it as a gift, consider it a payment for everything you've done for me." 

"I- I haven't done anything really..."  
He scratched the back of his neck, remembering all his missteps. 

"Indeed, you only provided me with a safe environment. Somewhere to call home. No big deal."  
He smirked. A new expression. 

"Ah, you deal in sarcasm now."  
Chris returned his smirk, closing the menu.  
But what he had said went directly to his heart.

They ordered, Chris settled for lobster tail and Wesker decided to try oysters. Quite the luxurious meal.  
The reveled in idle chat while waiting for their dish. Talking with Albert was always an adventure, Chris was ashamed he had taken so long to realize it. He could never predict the twist and turns the android's mind took. The more they talked, the more his face would display new and exciting emotions. It was a thrill... To see someone you care about break out of their shell to show more and more of their self. At more than one occasion, Chris's heart skipped a beat. It took him that long to realize that... He was falling in love... Hard. 

The plates made their entrance and they dug right in, a myriad of new expressions flashed on Wesker's visage as he tasted new things. The spiciness was the biggest surprise.  
They spent the whole time laughing and talking and, sometimes, they'd get lost in each other's eyes. It was so easy to forget he wasn't human... So easy to forget those beautiful irises probably were rigged with nano-cameras... So easy to forget that, in fact, he was someone else's property... In the moment, Chris certainly had forgotten all about it.

"Chris. Can we say we have successfully learned more about one another?"  
He questioned. 

"I think we can. Don't you?"

"Yes."  
He smiled.  
"But if there's anything you'd like to know. Feel free to ask."  
He referred to more, technical questions one assumes. 

"Mh..."  
He sat pensively for a moment.  
"Well, I'd like to know how you feel about Umbrella."  
He knew it was probably a risky subject but curiosity got the better of him. 

Albert's eyes lowered, his smile faded.  
"Can I tell you the truth?"  
He whispered. 

"Of course."  
Their hands met on the table for a comforting touch. 

"There are times when I can feel them peer through my eyes, sift through my memories... It's unpleasant. I wish they would stop."  
He darted his pale grey eyes up, knowing he had said something outrageous. 

"Me too."  
Chris confessed. 

Hope glistened in the silvery irises a swift smile graced his lips. 

"How was it? When you were in their laboratories."

"I do not remember much. It is hazy, unclear... But I don't think I liked it very much." 

"No? Why not?"

"I have no idea. But sometimes, when I think about them... My chest hurts."  
His gaze lost itself in empty space. 

Chris prompted his chin up, forcing their eyes to meet.  
They didn't need to speak, comfort flowed like water between them. 

Interrupted by the waitress, they were handed menus once again; For desserts this time. A little something sweet sounded right just about now. They both ordered a little chocolate cake, topped with their best ice-cream. The cold dessert melted atop the steaming pastry. Putting a damp on the seriousness of their previous discussion.  
The sun was just under the horizon when they finally decided to leave. Hand-in-hand once again. They walked for the car and headed home at their leisure, taking detours on pleasant streets. Their day had been fulfilling, but they had an early morning tomorrow, it was high time they headed home... Home. Yeah, that has a nice ring to it. 

\--

Back at the apartment, both men felt at ease. Yet, there was a strange tension in the air, like electricity between them.  
They had spent the day outside and about, Chris felt ready to step under the shower. Gathering his courage he invited the android to join him. 

"Fancy a shower? You're not afraid of water anymore, are you?"  
He teased. 

"No."  
He chuckled.  
"I was never scared of it. Only cautious, if you remember."

"Right, right."  
Chris pulled the other man into his arms playfully, their chest pinned together, they got lost in heated gaze. Their nose came brushing before they even noticed they had been pulling closer... Their eyes began to close and an cold exhale tickled Chris's lips before they shut completely.  
Soft lips met with his in a chaste kiss.  
When their eyes opened again they were clouded with love.

Christopher began to lead them into the bathroom, walking backwards, refusing to break their embrace. A strong hand cradled Wesker's neck, pulling him into a thousand kisses, the next more passionate than the last. Albert parted his lips to let Chris's tongue inside him mouth in a languorous kiss.  
They pushed open the door into the bathroom and immediately began to undress. The captain trailed heated caresses down his lover's back, stopping at his hips, grabbing them firmly.  
Once they were rid of their clothes, they stepped under the gentle rain; Cold at first, before catching fire, burning them pleasantly.  
Another series of kiss began, Wesker moaned softly; Pinned against the wall of ceramic. Their bodies pinned together, water sliding between them as it trailed down their muscles.

"I love you."  
Chris declared. 

"Me too... I love you too!"  
He answered in earnest. His perfectly groomed hair falling apart beautifully.  
"I-"  
He was about to add something when a loud gasp escaped his lips. His eyes closed with force.  
"No... No... Not now..."  
He whispered through his teeth. 

Puzzled at first, Chris worried himself, holding tight onto the other male.  
"Hey what's wrong?! Talk to me."

But when he noticed Albert systematically refused to open his eyes... He understood. 

"Dammit... Why now..."  
The android lamented, letting his back slide down the wall before he curled into a ball. Hot water raining down on him.  
"I'm sorry..."  
He repeated again and again in a tiny voice. 

Helpless, Chris put his arm around him in silence.  
At that moment, they were both reminded that Wesker's body wasn't his own...


	9. Blue Blood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very sorry this is taking so long to update, I was feeling really miserable lately and it held me back a lot. I am trying my best to come back to writing tho! <3 I hope you can be patient and excited for the chapters to come~ I love you guys! <3

The first thing Chris noticed upon waking up was the cold, hard, body pressed against his own; perfectly still and heavy with sleep... If you could call it that. He recognized the smell of his shampoo in the android's synthetic mane; silky locks of platinum hair tickled the tip of his nose. Engulfed against the robot's scalp in a tight embrace they both refused to break. Albert's arms were locks around his middle, his forehead pressed inside the captain's shoulder; hiding his features.  
He had systematically refused to open his eyes ever since the incident... And had fallen asleep sobbing endless apologies.  
Chris's arms were wrapped around his lover's back; securing him against his chest. Their legs were braided together, the plant of their feet met for comfort. Christopher pressed a loving kiss to the other man's brow; trying to wake him up. He longed to see his beautiful eyes again...  
As thought he heard the plea, Wesker opened his eyes; revealing silver jewels. Already fully awake, he looked into Chris's soul before a familiar smile curled his lips. 

"Good morning captain."  
He whispered softly.

"Good morning my love."  
Chris answered just as gently, prompting the AI's chin up to kiss his lips. 

The kiss was chaste, tender and comforting. Filled with warmth and feelings of love.  
The android let out a delicate sigh; breathing for the first time since they had fell asleep. Seeing his chest up and down scratched an hitch Chris didn't know he had. He hadn't realize just how dead he looked just a minute earlier; frigid, unmoving... Small details that, in the end, made all the difference. 

"The hour is 5:30 Am."  
Albert helpfully informed.  
"We're just in time."  
He wriggled out of their embrace to deactivate their alarm. 

Still laying down, Chris held on to Albert's thighs; unwilling to let him slip away completely. 

"Captain?"

"Just five more minutes."  
He pressed his forehead against the android's cool skin. Breathing a hot sigh into it. 

"Very well."  
Wesker obliged, weaving lithe fingers into Chris's messy hair. Playing with the short strands; he tugged and pulled carefully, rearranging the rebellious locks.

The captain let out a pleased hum, tightening his hold slightly. 

"Would you like me to cook for you?"  
Another careful whisper escaped his perfect lips. 

Chris nodded. 

Albert chuckled.  
"What would you like to eat?"

"Whatever you want to make."  
He replied groggily. 

The AI smiled sheepishly. He never felt like a tool around Chris... So many little decisions he had to make for himself... So many little things he could decide for others. Wesker bent down to press a light kiss on Christopher's temple. The man in his lap smiled lazily; lulled into sleep once more.  
A quick glance at the clock revealed they still had 3 minutes left before they had to get up... Albert figured it'd be 3 minutes well spent. 

\--

After their breakfast the lovers hopped into Chris's Jeep and rolled out. The weekend was over, and they had to head to work. Albert didn't mind, he enjoyed Chris's company in and outside of work. Christopher, him, wished they had more time to themselves... With a whole team to manage, he wouldn't have nearly as much time to dedicate to his favorite robot. He'd probably have to relinquish him to Leon for the day.  
The commissariat came into view and the captain parked in the usual spot; killing the engine.  
Albert reached for the handle, ready to step out, but the brunet stopped him; a gentle hand grabbing his wrist. 

"Hey."  
He whispered. 

"Yes captain?"

"Come here?"  
He leaned in for another kiss and Albert met him halfway.  
"I love you."  
His lover tortured expression was still fresh in his mind and he worried, perhaps unnecessarily, that he had failed him somehow. 

"I love you too, Chris."  
He answered, an earnest smile revealed his flawlessly white teeth; prominent little canines that ravished Chris's heart. Little wrinkles cornered his eyes; it felt so natural now. He still couldn't believe Albert wasn't human. 

The brunet squeezed his lover's hand and winked.  
"Alright, let's go." 

They hopped down the car together and walked close to each other, right up until they crossed the door frame into their department; after what a respectable distance came between them. Much to Chris's distress... But he swallowed the bitter departure and focused on greeting everyone. 

"Good morning."  
He raised his voice routinely. 

"Good morning."  
The others answer in unison. 

The captain stepped into his office and Albert stayed behind, picketed next to Jill's desk; waiting expectantly by the door. The woman muffled a tiny chuckle and tried to focus on her work; smiling easily.  
Officer Kennedy quickly noticed the android hadn't much to do and he called to him. 

"Albert."  
He gestured with his arm for the other man to come and sit with him. Mindful not to raise his voice too loudly, as to not disturb the others. 

Luckily, Wesker had excellent ears. He paced between desk to meet Leon. 

"Good morning Leon."

"Hey buddy, how is it going?"

The AI took place beside him and they made small talk; as far as Albert's understanding of the notion took him.

"How was your first weekend? Things..."  
He hesitated.  
"Things are better between you and Chris?"  
He asked with worry in his voice, scared he'd bring up a sensitive subject. 

"Better than ever."  
The machine smiled brightly. 

"Oh!"  
Leon relaxed immediately.  
"I'm glad."  
He smacked his palm against Wesker's hard shoulder playfully.  
"Up for another patrol today?"

Albert leaned his head slightly to the side.  
"You do not wish to bring someone else along?"  
He remembered Leon saying he often left on patrols with different partners each times. 

"I think we work well together."  
He admitted, a little shy. Embarrassed to have been called out on it.

"In that case I will be glad to accompany you."  
Another practiced curled his pale lips. 

"Let's go! We'll swing by the diner to get some grub."

"Grub?"  
Wesker repeated interrogatively. 

The agent explained with a laugh as they made their way out to the locker room. 

\--

Inside the patrol car Wesker rearranged his name tag; making sure it sat perfectly in due place. He now adorned the deep blue uniform; leaving his fancy clothes behind in a locker. 

"This uniform fits you like a glove my friend!"  
Agent Kennedy chirped. 

"I noticed you wear it quite well yourself."  
He complimented in turn. 

Leon whistled.  
"Why thank you! Who taught you to be so smooth?"  
He teased.

"I learned from the best."  
He eyed his partner intently. 

"Flatterer."  
He huffed; a stubborn smirk on lips. 

"What is on today's agenda?"  
The AI inquired. 

"The usual. Do you remember the run I showed you last time?"

"Of course."

"Figured."  
He laughed shortly.  
"Wanna drive?"  
He offered. 

"If you do not mind."

"'course not! I'll lend you the wheels after breakfast."

Albert had already ate breakfast, but he did not wish to disappoint officer Kennedy, and so he stayed silent. Besides, eating more or less made no difference to him.  
Their drive to the diner was uneventful. They stepped out of the vehicle, went to greet their favorite waitress; who in turn happily served her favorite costumers. Such eye candy was welcome at the beginning of a new week. She enjoyed secretly looking Wesker up and down. And the android didn't mind the attention. 

"What can I get you sweetheart?"  
She blatantly flirted with him; kneading his shoulder.

"What do you think I should get?"  
He questioned.

"Oh honey! Don't even worry about it. I'll whip you up something special."  
She winked before walking behind the counter; swaying her large hips. 

Leon always ordered the same thing. 

"Man, she really has a crush on you."  
He whispered playfully, nudging an elbow to the AI's side. 

Wesker made an easy smile. And the two men waited for their order in comfortable silence; sipping their coffees, reading the papers...  
Out of the blue, Albert let out a displeased grunt. Taking a hand to his forehead; trying blinking away a frustrating sensation.

"You alright?"  
Leon was immediately concerned. 

"It is nothing, please do not worry."  
He reassured him.

"If you say so..."  
He decided to let it be for now. 

Umbrella was watching again... 

After the initial shock however, Albert did not give anymore sign that something was bothering him. He had to accept it... Whether or not he wanted it, Umbrella was free to use him as they saw fit. Peering through his eyes was something fairly benign to them. Simple routine. Never mind that the android was actually growing a conscience and wished for privacy... If he wished to stay sentient, it was in his best interest to play by the rules... Especially after yesterday's disobedience.  
He continued to read the paper. 

The waitress came back with their food and they picked up discussion again while they ate. Talking between them and the waitress when the other patrons didn't need tending.  
In 30 minutes they were done with their meal and ready to begin the day, the thanked their host; which took the liberty to kiss the two men on the cheek and waved them goodbye. And excused themselves. 

\--

Wesker sat behind the wheel for the first half of the day. His technique was impeccable and Leon felt comfortable letting drive. He still insisted in taking back the wheels within the first hour of the afternoon however; he was terribly bored you see. Not that he didn't enjoy the AI's company, far from it. But he needed something to do beside talking. Albert gladly relinquished the duty to his partner. 

In the middle of a conversation about dogs, the radio switched on; the voice of an operator came through. 

"To all unit, this is dispatch. We have a situation in..."  
He proceeded to give an address and coded the infraction.  
Apparently there was a case of domestic violence taking place in a difficult neighborhood of the city. Nothing new there, calls like this were made fairly often. It was close to their location and the two men agreed to take it. 

"Dispatch this is King-B2."  
That's what they called this patrol car.  
"We're close to the scene, we'll take the call."  
He informed. 

"Affirmative King-B2. Be careful out there Leon."  
The man on the other side of the radio had recognized his colleague, evidently. 

"Don't worry Steve, I got my new partner with me." 

"Takes a load of my mind. Thanks guys."

They ended the call. 

"Let's go." 

\-- 

They were at the scene within 15 minutes, they hurried to the door together and Leon gestured for Wesker to go ahead and knock. He wanted to see just what the android was made of. 

Albert banged on the door loudly; it was stern and demanding.  
"R.C.P.D, open the door."  
He commanded. 

So far Leon was impressed. The AI looked right at home. 

Ten seconds and still nothing. Wesker knocked again.  
"We've received a call. If you do not open the door within the next 10 seconds we'll force our way in."  
He warned.  
"You've been warned."

They were quickly gathering curious onlookers. Police officers weren't exactly welcome in this part of town. Some people shot them nasty stares.  
Albert began his countdown: 

"10, 9, 8, 7, 6-"  
Before he could say five the door opened and a young woman appeared in the frame; tears still wet on her visage, a bruise on her cheek already apparent. 

"Can I help you?"  
She asked meekly. 

"Good day 'mam."  
Wesker greeted, taking off his hat.  
"We were called by one of your neighbors. Something about a fight? Can we come in?"  
He nudged gently, already moving to step inside. 

The young woman blocked his way in.  
"Everything is fine."  
Wesker's sensor indicated that she was lying, but that was obvious even without all the scans in the world.  
"You should leave."  
She almost begged, fear in her eyes. 

"'mam please."  
Leon intervened.  
"We need to check if everything is alright before we leave. I'm sure you understand."  
He tried to reason. 

Albert noticed a small child holding on to her mother's dress, hiding behind her leg. He smiled and waved his fingers to get the kid's attention. The child looked up in fear and lowered his head. The robot was determined to have a look around the house, now more than ever. 

"May we come in?"  
He pressed, growing more and more insistent; cluing her in that they knew something was wrong. 

She made a move to step away; trembling, and the two men pushed the door open completely.  
As soon as the door swung open, they noticed the man standing there; weapon in hand and ready to shoot.  
Wesker made a split second decision to shield his partner. 

"Fucking pigs!"  
The man shouted and fired. 

The bullet lodged itself in the android's abdomen but he didn't so much as wince; taking his weapon out instead. He stepped inside quickly and put the woman and child behind him.  
"Put your weapon down! Now!"  
He warned. 

In a daze; an equal mix of frustration and disbelief, the man shot again. Two more bullets hit his chest; One in his side and the other in his shoulder. No reaction, he barely budged.  
Leon had his gun out by now and fired into the man's leg sending him unto the ground; crying in pain.  
Wesker quickly pocketed his firearm and moved to cuff the suspect. Making sure to recite his rights this time around; he hoped Chris would be proud.  
A blue liquid pooled out of his guts. 

"Albert! For fuck sake are you alright?"  
Leon shouted, taking knee next to his partner. 

"Systems fully operational. Nothing I cannot easily fix."  
He quickly affirmed. 

Leon remained dazed; mouth gaping, unable to speak for what seemed like a really long time. Outside, another police car had parked in the street and two more officers came rushing in. They partook in everyone's disbelief before assuring the duo they'd take care of the rest...  
On their way out Albert noticed the child once more; still clinging onto his mother.  
The android attempted to lower himself to his height but the mother squealed and put her child behind her fully; crying and sobbing in a panic. Wesker's eyes went wide and she blurted out something between exhausted pants.  
"W-What are you? J-Just leave us alone!"  
She ran to the other officers... 

"Come on..."  
Leon spoke softly, urging his partner out of the house. His brows knitted in a sad expression.

Outside, everyone looked at him with terror in their eyes; like he was some kind of monster... They made a path for him and murmured between themselves.  
The duo stepped into the car and Leon quickly drove away. 

"I..."  
Albert started but stopped himself. Looking down at his chest instead; feeling the holes in his body with the tip of his fingers. Outside, the scenery kept changing...  
"I am sorry..."  
He said simply. 

"Hey... Don't apologize."  
Leon kept talking softly.  
"You saved my life... Or at least you saved me a lot of pain. Again. Thank you."  
He made it a point to let emotion pour into his voice; to let Albert know just how grateful he was.  
"It was a job well done... But-"  
He inhaled sharply.  
"Please, for the love of god and everything holy. Don't ever. Ever. Use yourself as a shield again."  
He exhaled a shaky breath... It seemed as though he was on the verge of tears. 

"I understand."  
He didn't promise anything... Because in his mind; it was still a small sacrifice. He didn't feel pain after all. 

\--

They were back at the station, Leon pulled him across corridors in a hurry; almost running for their office. Impatient, no doubt, to find Rebecca. 

"You sure you're okay?"  
He kept asking.  
"You're not in pain are you?"  
He bit his lips. Clearly he had difficulty wrapping his head around the concept. 

"I am fine Leon, please, there is no reason for you to hurt yourself like this."  
He referred to just how rapidly Leon's heart beat and the sadness in his eyes. 

Leon huffed as though he had just heard the most ridiculous thing and they barged inside the department; everyone heard them come in. 

"Rebecca come here a second."  
He called immediately; out of breath and clearly out of his wits. 

"Leon? Albert? What's wrong?"  
She hurried to their side. 

"Albert was shot."  
He informed in a shaky voice. 

"What!?"  
She ushered the blond to take a seat.  
"Where? Show me."  
She pulled a chair for herself and sat right in front of him. 

The commotion garnered everyone's attention, Chris was quick to peek out of his office.  
"What's going on?"  
His brows were knitted in concern. 

"Albert was wounded."  
The woman informed, rather more tactfully. 

Chris's eyes went wide and he hurried to his lover's side.  
"What happened?"  
His voice betrayed his anxiety. 

"Please."  
The AI attempted to reassure everyone.  
"It is fine, I am mostly unscathed. This is nothing I cannot tend to by myself."

Nobody bought into it. 

"Show me."  
She prompted again. 

With a look of defeat, the robot unbuttoned his shirt and let it slide down his shoulders. Three holes punctured his skin; bullets still well encased within the wounds. An ocean blue liquid trailed down his muscles. The team looked in disbelief.  
The tattoo on his chest; the bar code, was untouched. 

Unsure what else to do; Rebecca grabbed her tray an extracted the bullets with care. 

"You do not need to be careful doctor. I do not feel pain."  
He informed once again, hoping to put some minds at ease.

"Let me... Please..."  
She whispered.  
Discarding the empty shells into a metallic bowl. More of the blue substance erupted out.  
She prepared to clean the wounds. 

"Your blood is... blue..."  
Jill noted, nothing else crossing her mind. 

"It is not blood. It is symbiotic fluid."  
He corrected, smiling jovially; still attempting to defuse the tense atmosphere. 

Everyone stayed silent.  
The captain was positively beside himself with worry; struggling to keep himself in check. He wanted to hold the other man tight... It killed him that he couldn't yet do that. 

Finally, the doctor bandaged the wounds and sighed in relief.  
"You'll be okay... I think..."  
She attempted to trust the android's expertise on the matter.

"Thank you."  
He smiled gratefully.  
As soon as he was onto his feet; Chris grabbed his arm and pulled him into a hug.  
"Captain?"  
He almost gasped. 

"I thought I told you to take better care of yourself dammit."  
He muffled his voice inside his lover's shoulder. 

"Yes... I'm sorry."  
He returned the hug.

Nobody dared to comment. 

In a sigh, the captain put some distance between them once again; still clearly upset but managing a quick smile.  
"Do something for me?"

"Yes sir?"

"We've just taken a few people into custody, can you relieve the guard in duty there? I need to speak to the rest of the team..."

"Of course."  
He paced towards the door, threw his comrades a last, rather hesitant, glance and excused himself. 

\--

As soon as he was out the door the captain sat down; knees weak and breath unsteady. 

"Chris?"  
Jill prompted him for more information.  
Nobody understood why Albert had to leave... 

"I need to tell you all something... It's important, it's grave, and it's about Umbrella."  
He looked at the now closed door.  
"I couldn't risk them eavesdropping on us." 

They all lent him their unwavering attention. 

\--

Wesker made it to the containment cells; the guard there was relieved and expressed his thanks to whom he assumed was a new recruit.  
Nobody liked to be on babysitting duty. The men and women held there were either aggressive or miserable and never pleasant.  
He sat down; noticing the prisoners were all fairly silent; pacing around their cells like caged animals or sobbing in a corner. A man seemed surprise to seem him... Unsure at first, before disbelief painted his traits. He whispered loudly: 

"Wesker?"  
He spoke as though he couldn't believe his eyes. 

The android spared him a look; his curiosity peeked. How could this man possibly know him? 

"Holy shit!"  
He exclaimed after taking a good look at the officer.  
"It's really you!"  
His hands went to cup his head.  
"B-But what are you doing here?"  
He designated the small desks; his uniform, everything...  
"N-Never mind that! Hey, hey! Bust me out of here! For old time's sake eh?"  
He prompted; a smile on his lips, addressing him like he had known him well once...


	10. Once

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey luvs~ I'm doing a bit better now and I felt productive enough to muscle in on this new chapter! The story is coming together now, I hope you'll enjoy the twist it takes here! I really want to know what you guys think about this one <3

"For old time's sake..?"  
The android repeated, confused. 

The stranger lost his smile, overcome with surprise. 

"Don't tell me you don't remember me?"  
He kept his voice relatively low, whispering a shout; eyes wide and his mouth agape.  
"Look, look..."  
He started, obviously trying to collect his thoughts; his gaze kept darting left and right.   
"I know you never cared enough to learn my name, but surely you remember my face?"  
He gestured toward his visage.   
"I ran under you for years!"  
His eyes begged. 

Wesker mustered a frustrated frown... He... Didn't know this man. Or did he?

"You must have me confused for someone else."   
His pale grey eyes adverted the man's hopeful stare. 

"No! No! Wait!"  
He implored; grabbing at the bars.  
"I know it's you! I would recognize that face anywhere... Y-You seriously don't recognize me?"  
He wheeze; pressing his face in between the iron bars. Petitioning the AI for another look. 

Albert's programs were practically screaming at him to turn away, he could barely remain focused. The words seemed distant and distorted... Errors kept popping up in his software. It was as though his whole system could crumble... Something like a firewall worked to block out the information.   
But he was familiar with this feeling... He knew that if he just pushed further, focused harder... He'd be able to grasp something previously lost to him.   
The man continued to beseech him, but the sentences bled in a blur and Wesker couldn't understand what he was saying. Something snapped... 

"Shut your goddamn mouth!"  
He practically screamed; rage apparent in his tone as he gripped the metal between them.   
"Speak so I can understand you! You aren't making any sense."  
He bared his teeth; visage distorted in anger... Never once before had emotions painted his traits with such ease. 

The stranger let out a nervous laugh; regaining his composure in a shaky breath.  
"I knew it was you."  
He whispered almost inaudibly. 

By now the other detainees had either taken interest or were cowering in fear in a corner of their cell. 

"You said you knew me."  
The machine reiterated. Recovering some of his equilibrium.   
"From where?"  
The barriers inside his head had all but fallen... He felt as though he could seize the truth now. 

"You really did forget..."  
Another faint whisper.   
"Alright."  
It seemed as though he had made up his mind.   
"I used to work for you. I was mostly an errand boy... You never really trusted me to handle anything beside small business. You know... Drugs and the like. Small deals that couldn't go wrong."

Wesker did not interrupt but his eyes were intense; pressing him for more tangible answers... 

"Y-You used to rule a gang of mercenary."  
He finally blurted out something helpful.   
"You know! Drugs, weapons, murder... Anything went as long as the money was right."

A searing pain hammered the AI's temples... Something buried deep inside the darkest corners of his mind screamed this was the truth. Despite the thousands prompt that littered his systems telling him otherwise. 

"I believe you."  
He ignored everything he was programmed to believe. 

A sigh of obvious relief graced the prisoner's lips.   
"I don't know what's going on-"  
He leaned in closer.  
"But get me out of here and I'll tell you everything you need to know!"  
He promised. 

The android stepped away; turning the small desk upside down in search of the keys.   
He knew, he felt it in his gut, Umbrella was already on their way... And he couldn't let them catch him. Not again... Not when the answers that always eluded him were in the palm of his hand. This... This was susceptible to change everything. Everything he thought he knew... Everything he thought he was.   
Something shiny caught the corner of his eye and he grabbed it, going back to the cells to unlock the door. 

"Hurry!"  
The man whispered in a panic; trying to peer down the corridor. 

A second later the door slid open and the errand boy was pulled out of his cell violently before it slid back close. None of the other inmates had the time to attempt an escape.   
On the floor; shook by the strength of the impact the man struggled to pick himself up. His eyes darted towards the officer... A gun was pointed to his head. 

"If you are lying to me. Or if you try anything, even remotely suspicious; I won't hesitate to pull the trigger."  
He pressed the gun against his forehead.   
"I'm putting everything on the line trusting you. Don't. Make me regret it."  
His stress level was well above the threshold. His vision was littered with alerts and warnings... He could barely see in front of him. 

"I-I won't! I swear!"

Finally, he pocketed his weapon.  
It was becoming increasingly difficult to hold onto consciousness... He had but one option... 

\--

Chris sat with the others; finishing his tale with a long, exhausted, sigh.   
"We can't trust them."  
He reiterated. Talking about Umbrella. 

He had told his comrades about what Albert had told him. About how little he remembered from his time with Umbrella, about how he didn't like them... He told them about the incident too... Even though it meant to confess about his feelings for the android, and how close they had gotten.   
He found no judgement; everyone agreed that something was wrong with Umbrella, Albert and the way this whole situation was handled. Hell, the two of them falling in love was about the most natural thing to occur ever since Wesker had barged into their lives. If it could validate their theory...

The door swung open and a familiar duo let themselves into the room; Umbrella's representative. As it was always the case, the woman spoke:   
"Where is the android?"  
She demanded; clearly high strung. Replacing her glasses on her nose. 

They were met with glares and silence. 

"Where?!"  
She all but shouted. 

"What do you want with him?"  
The captain asked his own question. 

"There has been a problem."  
She informed, struggling to keep her calm.   
"We must bring it in for maintenance."

Yeah... Maintenance. They had heard that one before; before Albert had begged Chris not to let them hurt him. Before he was tased and taken away. Before he could come back with his memory wiped clean. 

"If you're talking about his wounds-"  
Leon tried to guess. 

"It is not about your earlier altercation."  
She cut him short.   
"I must see it, now."

Evidently it was useless to argue. Not only was she dead set on seeing the android, she wasn't about to disclose anymore information that she had to.

"He's on guard duty."  
Chris sighed, getting up onto his feet.  
"Follow me." 

He had to take them to him, but that didn't mean he'd let them take him.   
"Just to talk..."  
He thought to himself. 

He lead the representatives through the building and towards the containment cells; in the basement. They were silent on the way there; accompanied only by the captain and his lieutenant.   
Piers kept shooting him worried glances. It was no secret he had always disliked Umbrella, and today it was particularly easy to do so.   
They finally made it all the way down there; where they were met with enraged inmates. Screaming and banging around their cells like caged animals. 

"Hey! Hey!"  
The captain raised his voice above them, demanding silence. Wesker was nowhere to be seen. 

A man was shaking the bars vigorously; demanding Chris's attention.   
"You're little piggy went and got himself a new friend captain!"   
He laughed viciously. 

The others inmate were calmer now. 

"What are you talking about? Where's the man who was on duty here?"  
He demanded in turn. 

Already the operatives were muttering in between themselves. 

"I told you. He made a new chum."  
He laughed again; sitting on the ground in a lax fashion.  
"He bailed him outta here and they were on their merry way."  
He mimicked someone running with his fingers. 

Chris's brow were knit together in frustration. He was worried and confused... 

"That's it."  
The woman said.   
"Activate the GPS. I want to know exactly where it went."   
She ordered her partner; whom took out a strange tablet. 

"He is still in the building."  
He informed. 

Following the signal they left as a group; hunting down the rogue AI. The lead took them to the underground parking lot; where emptiness filled the space where Christopher's Jeep should have been.   
Blue liquid had pooled on the ground... A device laid abandoned; soaked in blue blood. 

"Albert..."  
Chris whispered the name for himself. 

The woman was on the phone... Talking about a defective model and how they should send a team after it. 

"Wait. What are you going to do with him?"  
The captain snapped out of his thoughts. 

"What we ought to do."  
She replied dryly; turning his heels on him and walking away in a hurry. 

They watched as the agents disappeared behind closed door. 

"Captain... They're going to kill him."  
Piers urged as soon as they were out of sight.

"I know. We have to find him before they do."   
He thought about his lover; his heart bleeding. 

\--

Albert drove his lover's Jeep; his guts wrenched open... The blue substance was spread all over the board and on the seats, but he didn't care. He couldn't. He felt no pain, and the noise was finally gone; he could think clearly once again.   
Next to him, in the passenger seat, sat a man whom claimed to know him. Breathing heavily as he kept a careful on the machine... Wondering just what had happened to the man he once knew.

"What is this place you tell me about?"  
Wesker prompted, calm, serene even... 

"I-It's where I meet with the others..."  
He gulped down audibly.   
"After our hold hideout was sacked by the pigs..."  
He continued. 

The AI hummed pensively.   
"Who will I meet there?"

"Your old crew!"  
He seemed to regain some of his enthusiasm.   
"Those loyal to you anyway... O-Oh! I was always loyal to you by the way!"  
He cleared his throat awkwardly. 

"I suppose I shall see for myself soon enough."  
Ever since he had ripped out his tracker the world seemed brighter... He could see the colors more vividly, smell the pollution in the air, he could feel the engine vibrate through the tip of his fingers. Just like when the storm raged...

"Yes... Though I suspect you'll be most relieved to see Jack."  
He cackled nervously. 

"Jack?"

"U-Uhm yes... Jack. Jack Krauser."  
He uttered the full name. 

A sense of familiarity overcame him... Almost overwriting everything else.  
He hummed softly.   
"Yes. Perhaps." 

They were silent the rest of the way. Outside; the sun began to wane, soon, the moon would shine.   
The stolen car stopped in a dark alley; Wesker killed the lights. 

"Are you positive this is the place?"  
He asked, suspicious. 

There was nothing notable here. 

"Yes I'm certain. It's the door right there!"  
He pointed to a metal door further into the alley. 

"Again. If you double crossed me..."  
He let his fingers caress his firearm.

"I-I promise I'm not!"  
He stuttered in his defense. 

They stepped out of the car together and stopped at the door. Wesker looked at his company with an interrogative look. 

"G-Go on. Knock."  
He prompted politely, almost bowing. 

Albert let his fist smash against the metal three times.   
Nothing... For what seemed like a long time. 

Wesker's brow furrowed.   
He was inexplicably angry... Ever since he had started to feel vividly again, he had this insidious rage bubbling at his core. It frightened him... 

Finally the door opened and a giant of a man invited them inside; an incredulous look on his face.   
"W-Welcome back boss."  
He picketed himself next to the door; closing it behind the duo. 

They continued in a dark corridor before they came unto a clearing... A makeshift bar had been settled here. Tables, sofas, a game of dart; with knives planted into it, plenty of empty bottles... A few men were sitting in silence in the back. As soon as Albert stepped into the clearing their heads turned to him and their eyes shot wide. 

"Boss!"  
A burly blond hurried to his feet and stomped towards him.   
"Y-You're alive! But how?"  
His voice was deep; he sported numerous scars, running across his visage and over his lips. His pristine blond hair were reminiscent of Wesker's own hairdo. His pale blue eyes were glassy with disbelief. 

"Krauser..?"  
Pain hammered the android's head once again... He knew this man. 

"I thought you were dead."  
He exhaled a powerful huff, his eyes darted to the ground. He seemed angry at himself... 

Bits and flashes of distant memory flooded Albert's mind... Yes. The truth was within reach now.   
"You... Thought I was dead?"  
He repeated, trying to understand the implications... Was he alive once? Human? Had he not always been a machine? 

"Yes..."  
He lowered his head in shame.   
"After you were caught, I tried to keep our operations running like you asked... But it was never the same without you around." 

And just like that... It felt as though a veil had been lifted. Memories began to assault his mind; overwhelming at first before they settled like running water.   
He had once been the leader of a mercenary group... A despicable individual motivated by money and power. He had dealt in weapons, drugs, he had a hand in human trafficking, he had murdered, and he had stolen... From people that deserved it, and others that didn't. He had hurt deliberately, he had bullied, threatened... He had destroyed people's lives. All in the name of his own freedom and enjoyment.   
He was caught, years prior, and imprisoned. Sentenced to death... Alone in a cold prison cell; he had banged the walls and scraped his lungs cursing the world.   
And one faithful day his sentence was carried... The last things he remembered was the needle in his arm and the bright neon hung above his head. And the logo on the doctor's smock: Red and white.   
He had been human once... 

"Boss?"  
Krauser raised his voice above the grave silence as the others gathered around them. 

"It feels good to be back."   
Wesker finally said.


End file.
